Looking for your experiences with Brachytherapy for Breast Cancer

Posted by staypositive @staypositive, Sep 7, 2019

Diagnosed 3 weeks ago with IDC, estrogen and progesterone positive and Her2 negative. Grade1. Only 3mm on ultrasound/3D. Fine needle aspiration under arm lymph nodes came out negative. So they say everything is in my favor...hoping so. Currently they are saying lumpectomy with Brachytherapy for 3-days after surgery next month. My son is soon getting married and have many events the week after surgery. Would like to hear others that went through this similar treatment on how you felt physically the week following the procedure?

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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 19, 2019

In reply to @2030 "Hi Colleen, I’m scheduled to have the catheter put in today and will start treatments either..." + (show)

Did you have it put in yesterday? @2030 How did it go?

jardinera25 | @jardinera25 | 6 days ago

This question was posted quite a while ago (2019) and I'm wondering if there are others since then who have received Brachytherapy-type of radiation for breast cancer? As I understand it, some kind of radioactive seeds are implanted inside the tumor or near it, then removed or they're short-lived. I have a breast cancer tumor within the chest wall and drugs to shrink it have been somewhat successful, but not fully, and with lots of serious side effects. A radiation Doc said I'm not eligible for Proton therapy unless it was smaller, so I'm wondering about Brachytherapy.

ruffianfan55 | @ruffianfan55 | 12 hours ago

In reply to @jardinera25 "This question was posted quite a while ago (2019) and I'm wondering if there are others..." + (show)

HI, @jardinera25 , I had DCIS with one small focal IDC HR/PR+HER2-. I had a lumpectomy May 30, 2025 followed by brachytherapy in mid July. I had multicatheter brachytherapy where 14-20 catheters are inserted in your breast while you’re sedated. Before this is done, the radiologist does an MRI scan of your tumor bed after your lumpectomy to see if brachytherapy is feasible. If you're eligible for brachytherapy, they then carefully plot where to deliver the radiation and at what dose. It is very precise, targeted radiation. Since the cancer was in my left breast, I chose it to minimize radiation to my heart and lungs. After the catheters were inserted, I received one radiation treatment the same day, and 2 more spaced out by 4+hours the next day, then I was done. They attach tubing to each catheter, and one by one, feed a radioactive isotope through the line until all of the designated areas have received treatment. I was able to lay there and watch it, very surreal! The isotope goes back into the machine each time, there is no external beam directed at your breast and nothing is left behind. The only “bad” part was the removal of the catheters, but its fast and bearable. I was very happy to have it over with in 2 days and had no problems at all. Of course my breast was horribly bruised, but 5-6 months later it appears normal except for the lumpectomy scar and very small purple dots where the catheters were inserted. Hope this helps! I am quite glad that I chose it . Best wishes whatever you decide, (I think that brachytherapy has very limited availability .)