Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Breast Cancer>Mastecomy>Chemo>Still need radiation?
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
Breast Cancer>Mastecomy>Chemo>Still need radiation?
by Hotchu, Oct 07, 2005 12:00AM
My wife had a mastecomy and lymph node removal in April with 6 of 14 lymph nodes positive. Just finish doing a 6 treatment chemo (1 per 3 weeks).
With new advances in chemo, do the benefits of rads still outweight the side effects?
Most stats are 10 to 15 years old and chemo has improved dramaticaly in those years. The old school is chemo/rads/5 yrs pills. So if chemo has improved so much and she had a mastecomy & lymph node removal > she should be "cancer" free. So what does the rads provide to off set the "no reconstruction because of skin damage"; fatique, organ damage and other side effects if the chemo has "killed" any loose cancer cells? 15 yrs ago, maybe > but chemo has improved so much and is much more effective > do you still need rads?
Since she has finished chemo, is there not a "healthy" alternative to rads? Diet changes and natual supplements! What percentage does having the rads give? Is it only 5% to not having the rads done?
Her mother and 2 aunts had BC (all three within 6 months of each other > they made it in a medical journal > as my wife becacuse it should have never been where it was or as extensive. She had yearly exames). Mother and 1 aunt just had a mastecomy and no further treatement. Mother dies of non cancer illness and aunt is still alive. The one aunt that did chemo and rads devloved lymphonemia and died of cancer reoccurance. So our personal experience is showing treatment is not good.
Thank you.
With new advances in chemo, do the benefits of rads still outweight the side effects?
Most stats are 10 to 15 years old and chemo has improved dramaticaly in those years. The old school is chemo/rads/5 yrs pills. So if chemo has improved so much and she had a mastecomy & lymph node removal > she should be "cancer" free. So what does the rads provide to off set the "no reconstruction because of skin damage"; fatique, organ damage and other side effects if the chemo has "killed" any loose cancer cells? 15 yrs ago, maybe > but chemo has improved so much and is much more effective > do you still need rads?
Since she has finished chemo, is there not a "healthy" alternative to rads? Diet changes and natual supplements! What percentage does having the rads give? Is it only 5% to not having the rads done?
Her mother and 2 aunts had BC (all three within 6 months of each other > they made it in a medical journal > as my wife becacuse it should have never been where it was or as extensive. She had yearly exames). Mother and 1 aunt just had a mastecomy and no further treatement. Mother dies of non cancer illness and aunt is still alive. The one aunt that did chemo and rads devloved lymphonemia and died of cancer reoccurance. So our personal experience is showing treatment is not good.
Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-rf, Oct 07, 2005 12:00AM
Dear hotchu: Radiation therapy is not always recommended in women who have had mastectomy. It may be recommended either when the disease is close to the surgical margins, or for tumors greater than 3cm in size, or if there is a lot of lymph node involvement. In your wife’s case, she has significant lymph node involvement. Radiation therapy can significantly reduce the risk for recurrence in the lymph node area. Additionally, radiation therapy has been demonstrated to increase overall survival rates for patients who have had a mastectomy but are at increased risk for recurrence. You and your wife may benefit from a discussion with the radiation oncologist who can discuss the benefits and risks as they pertain more specifically to her situation.
Member Comments (1)
by molly729, Oct 08, 2008 08:22PM
A related discussion, mastecomy/reconstructive surgery was started.
