Cancer Survivors Network

Hey Kari
I'm in rads now with an expander in the right breast, and I'll finish next week. The expander hasn't been any problem in my case. My radiation burns have been to the upper chest, not the breast area.The breast skin is healthy and the expander has been unaffected
by the radiation. You do have to have it fuly expanded before you start rads which in my case was 700cc's, and they only put about 100cc's in each week so you'll have a while before you can start rads. I had mine expanded while I was doing chemo, so it worked out well.Then you have to wait 6 weeks after rads before the reconstruction surgery...so I wont be able to get it done til the new year. Just don't be in any hurry. It will all work out as it should. And trust your medical team. They wouldn't recommend it if they thought it would cause you problems.
Good luck
Dee

Surgeons in my area will not put expanders in before radiation. Their 'philosophy' is that it may interfere with the rad treatments.

I have a friend who had a double mastectomy - and expanders put in immediately. She is finding that the added pressure on her surgical incisions is quite painful.

I had a double mastectomy - doing chemo currently - and will do 30 rad treatments. For me personally - I am glad that I am not doing anything additional to my body right now. Once I have all of the treatment stuff behind me - then I will consider my options for reconstruction.

It is indeed a very long road. It is very hard to digest. I still sometimes ask myself "Is this really my life?" Come here often. It really helps to talk to other sister going through the same stuff. Hugs.

I too have lllc w 18/20 nodes. 49 yrs old.For my 40th b-day I had implants placed,normal saline. I nursed all my kids and they killed them.lol I had a right mastectomy and we left the implant in to use as a expander. It's pretty much the same thing. The rads doc wanted it out " so he could have a clear playing field". My surgeon and he spoke on and off and rad doc decided on leaving it. Says he won't be responsible if it rupsures or I get contractures. Both are a risk of rads. No problems w the chemo. I think it is up to you and some needed research. I find it's a 50/50 deal.
Good luck on decisions on ur treatment. I start rads on the 30th Nov., so I'll see what happens. Oh he said he would place a damp towel on the implant, so it would cause less damage. I'll see.

Hi Kari. I had a lumpectomy, but, I just wanted to wish you good luck. I hope someone on here can ease your fears. Good luck!

Angie

I had expanders put in when I had my mastectomy in May. I went through six rounds of chemo and today I had #17 out of 33 radiation treatments. So far, so good. No problems. They told me I would have to wait until after radiation for the reconstruction but they could put the expanders in as long as they filled them before radiation started. I saw the plastic surgeon a week before radiation started and he told me I would have to wait three to six months after radiation for the reconstruction. It depends on how my skin reacts to the radiation.

I had chemo, bilateral mastecomy with expanders put in, then radiation, then more chemo, then reconstruction with DIEP (a free flap) procedure. The expanders did not cause any difficulty with the radiation. I think if the skin is expanded before radiation or several months afterward when the skin has had time to "settle" it is OK. I had to wait at least 10 months after radiation for surgery because it takes the skin and internal tissue to achieve a new "normal" after radiation. It sounds to me like your Doctors are giving you good advise.

Live as well as you can for as long as you can. seof