Celebrate

tabi

I finished my chemo on 3/17 and had my Pet Scan and MRI on 3/31 got my results on 4/1 and all is clear I am so excited. After 30 rounds of chemo and the waiting on the scan results (thats tough)I am doing great. I'm just curious why they still want me to do 5 weeks of radiation. I had a mastectomy I start radiation on 4/19..Any comments would be greatley appreciated and any advise on radiation (lotions, etc?).

prayerangel

Having radiation is the normal course of treatments, no matter how your results were. 5 weeks isn't bad. I had more, and know others who had even more than that. You just want to know you did everything possible to kill the cancer in the bloodstream (with the chemo) and anywhere nearby your surgery (with the radiation).

prayerangel

prayerangel said:

Having radiation is the normal course of treatments, no matter how your results were. 5 weeks isn't bad. I had more, and know others who had even more than that. You just want to know you did everything possible to kill the cancer in the bloodstream (with the chemo) and anywhere nearby your surgery (with the radiation).

Oops. Regarding the lotions, etc. On the radiated side you can't wear any deodorant the whole time your being radiated. As far as the lotions...The oncology nurses give you whatever you need. I went through 3 different things. I started with a cream, went to a special burn vaseline and then went to an orange stuff you painted on with a paint brush. Don't worry and see how your skin reacts. Just ask the nurses as you go. The creams and stuff are free. The one thing I did have trouble with, was I was nauseas the first 3 days. I swore it had to do with the radiation, but it was all mental. The nurses kept saying "radiation doesn't do that to you". It was just "you think" something is happening to you. You don't feel anything.

tlmac

Tabi, I'm just guessing you were lymph node positive. Studies have proven that, even with a mastectomy, radiation improves relapse free survival compared with surgery alone. Remember, too, that no test is infallible. The mammogram that imaged my 2.5cm IDC in the left breast missed completely the 7mm mass in my right. I was lucky it was caught by the ultrasound and an excellent radiologist. I read where PET only images 1cm and above (don't quote me) and MRI has an accuracy of about 95%. Microscopic disease may be there that's just too small for any test to locate. The great news is you have nothing major going on anywhere and radiation can kill anything that's left. Don't hesitate, though, to get a second opinion if you have a strong opposition to radiation.
terri

mom62

Congratulations on finishing your chemo. I can't imagine doing 30 rounds. I had 4 A/C, 4 Taxol and that was enough for me! I had a modified radical masectomy. I had a bone scan and cat scan before I started the chemo and came out clean. I don't have to have radiation, so I imagine you must have had stage 3 or 4. Congratulations again!

Vanetia

Good info Terri, my onc told me the same thing. I finished my chemo on 3/16, but don't have to do radition, I am taking the new pill for five years, not tam. I also have to get a shot every three months. So my body doesn't produce any estrogen at all.Any way congratulations on finishing. That is a big step into recovery.

michelle1125

I had 4 A/C and am currently have 2 Taxotere left. I, too, had a masectomy, no lymph nodes involvement. My doctor has suggested, and I agreed, to 5 weeks of radiation. He says that having the radiation decreases my chance of the cancer coming back. It definitely won't hurt to do the radiation, though it's time-comsuming. I'll go 5 times a week for 5 weeks.