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Anyone forego radiation? Research, personal experience, outcomes
I’m 71 year old recently diagnosed with stage one grade 3 triple positive lobular cancer. To date I have had a lumpectomy and two sentinel lymph nodes removed. I finished chemotherapy and still have nine months of Herceptin infusions remaining. I am possibly starting radiation in several weeks and then will be placed on hormone therapy after that, the radiation oncologist told me I am at high risk of developing breast lymphedema from the radiation. I researched this side effect and is one that I definitely do not want. I have looked at studies that have shown radiation can be omitted in my age group with little impact when you have had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, Herceptin and hormone therapy. I am wondering if anyone else has faced this decision or forgotten radiation treatment. Thank you for your consideration and answering this question.
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@newtosc after doing considerable research and talking to the medical oncologist and radiation oncologist, where I was told by the medical oncologist that he believes we are vastly over treating early stage breast cancers, (he said there's a big movement in oncology in that direction.) For me it was quality of life. I knew I was not going to do both because like you I could get to the 99 percentile with radiation alone. I figured five days and extremely little side effect versus 5 to 10 years of bone loss, brain fog, joint pain, potential eye problems. It just wasn't worth it for me and I am 69 years old, I chose quality of life in my decision.
@wyowyld so given all your research, would you forgo taking Hormone therapy when you had stage 1A no lymph node involvement and bilateral mastectomy which meant no radiation or chemo. I am 70 and was told even with Hormone therapy (I am taking Letrozole) I still have a 8% chance of cancer returning. Of course that means there would be a 92% chance it won’t. So far I have been dealing with side effects but I am curious about the statement above suggesting oncologists are now saying they are over treating early stage cancer.
By no means am I suggesting someone forego AI's! It is a decision I personally made with the support of my Dr. s but I know so many factors weigh into it and it is different for each of us. After radiation, low onco and Ki-67 scores, no genetic risk factors, etc. I was told AI's would lower my "overall risk of recurrence" by 1 %. For me personally not worth it considering potential side effects. In regards to my Dr telling me that early breast cancers may be over treated, I immediately went home and enter the question "are we over treating early breast cancer" into AI and Google. I suggest you try it, and scroll past the ads. Some very interesting data and information. I know the decision is very personal for all of us and I wish you all the best!
My tumor was small (1a?) but moderately aggressive. My Oncotype score is 29--but I didn't know that when I decided on radiation. I also started AIs before I knew my Oncotype score. I never had the Ki-67 test. In other words, my first cancer center really let me down regarding testing the aggressiveness of my tumor. I'm sure many early BCs aren't aggressive, but some are. My advice: make sure you get Oncotype & any other test for invasive-ness that you can-- even if you have to change cancer centers.