Radiation Therapy

Roxi1

I had a WLE 1/5/05 and an AND on 1/25/05. I started RT about 2 weeks ago. My right breast has swollen (minimal, but noticeably), and because of that, there is discomfort bordering on pain. I have no redness (yet).
I take motrin for the pain, which helps only a little.

I am wondering if the mild edema is due to my massage of cream into my breast three times a day; or is it due to having large breasts (normal cup size D; now probably a DDDD, if there is such a size as that)

My biggest fear is that if it is like this now, what will happen to me as treatments increase?
Roxanne

lindatn

Here is my story with radiation. In 2002 in Sept I started radiation after first chemo, lumpectomy. I had some burning under the breast like bad! The breast swelled a little, I am the same size as you or was the D. In any case right after I started Tamoxifen in early Dec my breast swelled huge and really really hurt. Went back to the radiation center and he said could be the really serious form of cancer. Called the onoc who said of course not. I had a really dumb radiation center, never been back. In any case the breast pitted, skin is coarse in some areas and thick. Swelling went down to a degree. As of the last two weeks I have had a great deal of pain above the breast in the ribs. Probably time to go back again this is after two and a half years out. Dr Loves book says there is a form of arthritis after two to five years can set in and no cure just the ususual treatment for arthritis that may help some. Had I to do it over I would of had a mastectomy and said the heck with radiation. As of this morning it hurts to move my arm, one Dr said it was lymphedma of the breast rather then the usual arm. Many other gals will write they have had no trouble, breast looks normal etc. We are all very different in how we react to treatments for cancer. Good luck and ask all the questions you can to the Drs some are helpful other are completely worthless. God Bless Linda

Roxi1

lindatn said:

Here is my story with radiation. In 2002 in Sept I started radiation after first chemo, lumpectomy. I had some burning under the breast like bad! The breast swelled a little, I am the same size as you or was the D. In any case right after I started Tamoxifen in early Dec my breast swelled huge and really really hurt. Went back to the radiation center and he said could be the really serious form of cancer. Called the onoc who said of course not. I had a really dumb radiation center, never been back. In any case the breast pitted, skin is coarse in some areas and thick. Swelling went down to a degree. As of the last two weeks I have had a great deal of pain above the breast in the ribs. Probably time to go back again this is after two and a half years out. Dr Loves book says there is a form of arthritis after two to five years can set in and no cure just the ususual treatment for arthritis that may help some. Had I to do it over I would of had a mastectomy and said the heck with radiation. As of this morning it hurts to move my arm, one Dr said it was lymphedma of the breast rather then the usual arm. Many other gals will write they have had no trouble, breast looks normal etc. We are all very different in how we react to treatments for cancer. Good luck and ask all the questions you can to the Drs some are helpful other are completely worthless. God Bless Linda

my gosh, Linda. How awful. I am so sorry for you. Trying hard to not be self-centered, but am hoping none of this happens to me.
I have heard about Breast Lymphedema. I know how very bad that can be. I heard that the only thing which really helps B. Lymphedema is a mastectomy, as the pain can get so bad. I am hoping that that is not where I am headed either, seeing I have symptoms of edema so early.
I will get Love's book; perhaps that will speak to me also.
Much luck and love
Roxanne

lindatn

I'm more then hoping I am praying for you. I woke up this morning with a terrible cold and a very sore breast. Unfortunately I read your letter after I had made my tea and that was cold before I drank it so in a bad mood!!! Should not of even written something so negative to someone in treatment but it has been the pits. I did find using my aloe vera plant was by far the best cure for burning. Hopefully several people will write saying the opposite that it all went grand. On the plus side it has been three years since dx. I have a appointment in early May so will pray at least that is still the case! God Bless Linda

Roxi1

lindatn said:

I'm more then hoping I am praying for you. I woke up this morning with a terrible cold and a very sore breast. Unfortunately I read your letter after I had made my tea and that was cold before I drank it so in a bad mood!!! Should not of even written something so negative to someone in treatment but it has been the pits. I did find using my aloe vera plant was by far the best cure for burning. Hopefully several people will write saying the opposite that it all went grand. On the plus side it has been three years since dx. I have a appointment in early May so will pray at least that is still the case! God Bless Linda

I will pray for you then too, that your May appt shows you are still NED. Don't worry about being negative, I already know that something is wrong, as otherwise, why would there be swelling and discomfort/pain just 2 weeks into treatment (at this point, I should be feeling and seeing nothing)
Many hugs
Roxanne

lindatn

Hi, Just you and me seem to be on this post. I was wondering if you have started Tamoxifen, I had no trouble but for the burning under the breast until I started Tamoxifen. When I asked my onoc she said there appears to be some relationship to breast problems when you start it before radiation is done. Well I was done with radiation for two weeks before I started tamoxifen so in my case I still had problems. To big a chicken to stop tamoxifen but sure do think about it. Hope you are doing okay today. I read somewhere us gals who had large breasts over a C were refused lumpectomies in the past because of this problem. I find very little written about this so have no idea if this will be life time or someday when tamoxifen is finished it will go away. Linda

mc2001

Hi Roxanne,
I am a leukemia survivor. I had mucho rads! One type of lotion that helped me very much was Aloe. Any lotion, without perfumes, that contains a good amt of aloe helped me and I think it can help you. Have you talked to you doctor about taking prednisone or decadron for the swelling in your breasts? Also.. its good to massage this stuff in your breasts not only for the therapeutic value, but I think massaging your breasts frequently decreases the chances of scar tissue build up. Is this correct? Also... and please dont take this last part as rude or crude... but if you or Linda are married or have boyfriends.... this could be a project that both you and your partner can do together. I see a lot of couples lose the intimacy with cancer, which is normal and expected. But there are many small opportunities to be with each other even if it is just like rubbing aloe and massaging. What do you think about that? Well, take care and God bless.
-Michael

inkblot

Sorry to hear that you're having swelling and pain. I've heard of some ladies having this, early on. It could just be fluid build up from the radiation and nothing else going on? Keep in mind that some of us swell and some of us shrink from rads and sometimes it may improve with time and sometimes not.

WHAT is your rad onc. saying about it? Has he/she said specifically what is happening? If not, then they NEED to be saying something about it...what's causing it, if it's normal, giving you an idea of what to expect as you continue rads, etc..

Hope you get some answers soon. In the meantime, I'd be careful to shower (& rinse) well prior to each rad session to remove all traces of any lotions, creams, etc., and use no deoderant on that side, until after the treatment each day, if at all.

I used aloe vera, straight from the plant, several times daily during rads. I also used a pure aloe oil at night before going to bed. I wore no bra during the entire time. I'm a C cup, so didn't miss the support very much. Just wore cotton tees and if going out, put another shirt or top over the tee. I had no major trouble with rads (except getting some tiny, itchy bumps once, which aquaphor only made worse!). I did get red during the last two weeks of the "boost" rad., which seems to be quite common. It healed quickly though. I used a loofah daily to help the skin to peel, once it looked tanned. Kept up the aloe plant and oil for 3 months after that and have no residual discoloration.

Something else I used during rads was a pure soap. No fragrances, additives, etc.. I recall about half way through treatments, my breast began to feel warm all the time. Not hot but warmer than the healthy breast. When that began to happen, I began keeping some aloe vera stems in the fridge. They soothed and cooled immediately!

During rads, I didn't deeply massage anything into the skin of my breast. Rather, I used a light touch. After surgery and during chemo, though, (the months prior to rads) I used the pure aloe vera oil a LOT and this, I did massage in firmly, in an effort to help reduce surgical scarring.

Hope that may help some and please keep us posted.

Love, light and laughter,
Ink

Roxi1

inkblot said:

Sorry to hear that you're having swelling and pain. I've heard of some ladies having this, early on. It could just be fluid build up from the radiation and nothing else going on? Keep in mind that some of us swell and some of us shrink from rads and sometimes it may improve with time and sometimes not.

WHAT is your rad onc. saying about it? Has he/she said specifically what is happening? If not, then they NEED to be saying something about it...what's causing it, if it's normal, giving you an idea of what to expect as you continue rads, etc..

Hope you get some answers soon. In the meantime, I'd be careful to shower (& rinse) well prior to each rad session to remove all traces of any lotions, creams, etc., and use no deoderant on that side, until after the treatment each day, if at all.

I used aloe vera, straight from the plant, several times daily during rads. I also used a pure aloe oil at night before going to bed. I wore no bra during the entire time. I'm a C cup, so didn't miss the support very much. Just wore cotton tees and if going out, put another shirt or top over the tee. I had no major trouble with rads (except getting some tiny, itchy bumps once, which aquaphor only made worse!). I did get red during the last two weeks of the "boost" rad., which seems to be quite common. It healed quickly though. I used a loofah daily to help the skin to peel, once it looked tanned. Kept up the aloe plant and oil for 3 months after that and have no residual discoloration.

Something else I used during rads was a pure soap. No fragrances, additives, etc.. I recall about half way through treatments, my breast began to feel warm all the time. Not hot but warmer than the healthy breast. When that began to happen, I began keeping some aloe vera stems in the fridge. They soothed and cooled immediately!

During rads, I didn't deeply massage anything into the skin of my breast. Rather, I used a light touch. After surgery and during chemo, though, (the months prior to rads) I used the pure aloe vera oil a LOT and this, I did massage in firmly, in an effort to help reduce surgical scarring.

Hope that may help some and please keep us posted.

Love, light and laughter,
Ink

Hi Ink,
The idea of refrigerated aloe sounds like ecstasy. One of my breasts does feel 'warmer' (not hot) than the healthy breast. I will start this right away. I don't have aloe, but do have eucerin cream.
As this worsens, can only use a light touch, and can't touch my nipple at all; so guess I won't worry about massage anymore for a while.
I am seeing the Radiologist this Monday, so will ask her again what she thinks.
Michael, never thought of decadron or prenisone, but I guess, if this got very bad, that would always be a consideration?
Linda, I started Tamoxifen prior to Radiation Therapy (about 2 weeks prior). I really haven't had any side effects from it at all. I had hot flashes before I started Tamoxifen, and continue to have them. But, will ask Dr. S on Monday, whether there is a connection between the swelling, rads, and Tamoxifen.
I'll let you all know what she says. Thank you one and all for responding. Your ideas and information was very helpful.
Roxanne

1tan

Wow, I am really concerned after reading all of your posts. I am scheduled to have a mastectomy on 4/8/05. I have gone through 6 months of chemo, and will have radiation after the bilateral mastectomy for 6 weeks. I have been told to wait until after radiation to have the reconstruction surgery, and from your notes it sounds like this is wise. My arm hurt tremendously before the chemo.

Roxi1

1tan said:

Wow, I am really concerned after reading all of your posts. I am scheduled to have a mastectomy on 4/8/05. I have gone through 6 months of chemo, and will have radiation after the bilateral mastectomy for 6 weeks. I have been told to wait until after radiation to have the reconstruction surgery, and from your notes it sounds like this is wise. My arm hurt tremendously before the chemo.

I saw my Radiologist today. She said it is true, that larger breasted women have more problems, as there are more tissues which become inflammed. It is not a 'lead in' to getting chronic breast lymphedema down the line, she said.
She said that when someone did have this swelling problem, it usually started almost right from the very first radiation treatment (which it did). She also said that it did not progressively get worse, but instead, seemed to stop all together at the 4th or 5th week (she did not explain the physiological basis for this; but it is such good news).
Then she gave me cortisone for my very very sore nipple.
She seems to think that everything is right on track, and I should not worry.
Just wanted to let everyone know what was occurring, or perhaps this information may even help someone else who may go through this in the future.
I did get cotton camisoles to wear, which are so soothing. And, am going to look for some aloe vera oil.
Thanks to all of you for your help and support.
Roxanne