Should the boost hurt?

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1stTimeStage2
1stTimeStage2 Member Posts: 38 Member
in Breast Cancer #1

Hello All! I am on my last week of radiation. I did 5.5 weeks of the entire breast and now my last week is the boost. My radiologist said that the boost should hurt much less as it is a targeted area and the rest of the breast can now begin to heal. But OUCH - 1 day into the boost and it REALLY HURTS. I am happy that I only have 4 sessions left but is this normal - did other people find the boost sessions to be extra painful (my pain kicked in about 6 hours after the session). My skin is also peeling for the first time in the entire treatment (it has been itchy and irritated previously - uncomfortable, not unbearable). Thanks!!

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  • peony
    peony Member Posts: 306 Member
    edited October 2016 #2
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    I was hurting like crazy the

    I was hurting like crazy the last week of radiation. I think the radiation burns get worse as the treatment continues. At least for me they did. I was going back to have the burns treated two weeks after the radiation ended. Forfunately, it healed relatively quickly, but I still have darks splotches on my chest. I heard that it takes years for them to fade away.

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    edited October 2016 #3
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    Boost is new to me...I have

    Boost is new to me...I have never heard of it.

     

    Denise

  • cati0314
    cati0314 Member Posts: 203
    edited October 2016 #4
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    Boost

    I've seen this term used on this site before but I have never heard of it before.  I had my 6 weeks of radiation and was not aware of anything different being done during the last few sessions.  My radiation was painless, I did not have burns or pain.  

  • peony
    peony Member Posts: 306 Member
    #5
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    The boost is the last week of

    The boost is the last week of radiation that targets the surgical site only.

  • cati0314
    cati0314 Member Posts: 203
    #6
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    Thanks

    Thanks, I googled it and it explained the targeted radiation at the end.  Curious, does everyone get that?   I don't remember the radiologist ever mentioning it.  

  • Iris_G
    Iris_G Member Posts: 50 Member
    edited October 2016 #7
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    My boosts didn't hurt

    My boosts didn't hurt, but wow, the total radiation effect on my underarm was painful!  About 4 weeks in, I developed a huge blister in my underarm that was quite a pain in the tush, but my rad onco prescribed some  silvadene cream and it took care of it really fast!  I'm now 6 months out from my last radiation, and you can't even tell I had it!  Both my rad onco and my onco are quite surprised how well my skin looks!

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