Boosters/Many Questions....

angel23
angel23 Member Posts: 28
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
What are "Boosters"??. Is it a higher rad/rate/?? Gezzzz.... All these new words, and I am a nurse....(clueless with humility). You never stop learning, and you all have taught me soo much!! Can you tolerate a few more questions ???....Do you go to the oncologist before/after surgery? ( 7/28/09 for me) I know some of you have written that you go before.....Also, do most of you have a port with chemo?? ( I believe it would be better for your body....)I also read that with a 2cm tumor you most likely have chemo... (Mine is 3cm, with positive hormones neg HER2) Last question, ... When do you know your path report post op, and treatment??? I guess that is it for now... ( no promises tho...LOL )



Thanks Again, Angel23

Comments

  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #2
    Plan
    I don't know what Booster are since I am not having radiation.
    I saw a medical oncologist and a medical radiologist before surgery--double mastectomy.
    I had a port put in--great decision--one stick and they can get your blood and then do the treatment.
    My tumor was 1.6 but I am HER2 positive.
    Path report after surgery usually is anywhere from 3-5 days. If you already know that you are positive hormones and HER2 neg then your doctor knew what he/she was doing.

    My doctor never asked for the special stains and tests to determine the hormones and HER2 when I had my biopsy. I did not find out about that until after my double mastectomy.

    Hope this helps,
    Margo
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #3
    tommaseena said:

    Plan
    I don't know what Booster are since I am not having radiation.
    I saw a medical oncologist and a medical radiologist before surgery--double mastectomy.
    I had a port put in--great decision--one stick and they can get your blood and then do the treatment.
    My tumor was 1.6 but I am HER2 positive.
    Path report after surgery usually is anywhere from 3-5 days. If you already know that you are positive hormones and HER2 neg then your doctor knew what he/she was doing.

    My doctor never asked for the special stains and tests to determine the hormones and HER2 when I had my biopsy. I did not find out about that until after my double mastectomy.

    Hope this helps,
    Margo

    Boosters are rads given only
    Boosters are rads given only to the tumor or incision site. They are specifically to kill any stray cancer cells left behind by the scalpel during surgery.

    I think some have them, and, some places don't offer them.

    I am having them. They are at the tail end of your rad treatment.
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #4
    If you are having
    If you are having Brachytherapy a boost is a shorter treatment, as opposed to 5 days / 10 treatments. I had a boost which meant I had 3 days / 6 treatments. In my case I was supposed to just have the Brachy and no external radiation, but the entire cavity was not receiving the radiation. Once I finish Chemo I will have regular radiation.
    I did not get a port. They were not able to get an OK from insurance or get it sceduled in time for my first treatment so they used an IV. Since I only have a total of 4 treatments, 3 more to go, I decided against the port. I couldn't bear the thought of having another gadget in me after the Brachy, even though it was only in from Monday thru Friday. One of my tumors was over 2cm plus spread to the margins and I was told by my surgeon and 2 oncologists, to have the chemo. For me the lumpectomy was on a Wednesday and the results were in on Tuesday, so almost a week.
  • lolad
    lolad Member Posts: 670
    #5
    In my case i saw the surgeon
    In my case i saw the surgeon first and was set up for an appt with the onc afterwards. I believe that you do have a port for chemo. I know that with both positve er and pr you should get hormonal therapy as well. You will get the path report after surgery and it feels like forever, before you know for sure what type of treatment you will get. It depends on what they actually find when they do the surgery. Most likely with a 3cm tumor, you will be doing chemo. The hormone therapy is usually started after chemo. you being her2 neg means that it isnt an aggressive form of cancer so that is one less treatment you wont have.
    good luck and god bless
    laura
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #6
    PORTS
    I just finished my second chemo infusion 2 more to go......no port......usually for longer periods of chemo a port is the preferred route....I will have 7 weeks of radiation once my chemo is finished, about 3-6 weeks afterwards, depending on how I do at the end of chemo.....And the radiation oncologist said I will recieve a "booster" at the end....he explained it this way....all the 35 treatments radiate the entire breast.....at the end they give the tumor site ONCE LAST BIG SHOT of radiation.....

    I am lucky, I have had no nausea what so ever due to all the pre chemo anti nausea drugs that are given before hand.......I'm bald now, but that's okay.....
    I wish you well
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    #7
    MAJW said:

    PORTS
    I just finished my second chemo infusion 2 more to go......no port......usually for longer periods of chemo a port is the preferred route....I will have 7 weeks of radiation once my chemo is finished, about 3-6 weeks afterwards, depending on how I do at the end of chemo.....And the radiation oncologist said I will recieve a "booster" at the end....he explained it this way....all the 35 treatments radiate the entire breast.....at the end they give the tumor site ONCE LAST BIG SHOT of radiation.....

    I am lucky, I have had no nausea what so ever due to all the pre chemo anti nausea drugs that are given before hand.......I'm bald now, but that's okay.....
    I wish you well

    In my case
    In my case I had the mammorgram + biopsy + MRI = diagnosis.
    After the diagnosis I saw the surgeon and at that time gave him the name of the oncologist I wanted to use. I had a lumpectomy ... then saw the medical oncologist ... was told I needed chemo and radiation ... went back to surgeon and had port installed ... had chemo (once a week for 12 weeks of taxol/herceptin) ... then 3 weeks off ... then started radiation ... 33 daily treatments (first 28 are for entire breast area and the last 5 are directed at the tumor site and those are called the boosters). I have rad #18 this afternoon. After all of the radiation is completed then I'll be put on tamoxifen (sp?) for 5 years ... assuming I can handle it. We'll see.

    Oh... and since the 12 weeks of taxol/herceptin ended ... I'm still on "just" herceptin every 3 weeks for a year.

    I have been very lucky ... no nausea ... and all of the side-effects have been manageable. No "major" problems.

    As far as the port is concerned ... I love mine. I don't think I could have handled being poked and prodded to draw blood and give me the chemo treatments. I'm a real chicken with it comes to needles ... and with the port (and EMLA cream to numb the port site before chemo) ... it was pretty much a breeze ... but as I said ... I consider myself one of the lucky ones.

    hugs.
    teena
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #8
    Angel....
    It seems there are as many variations as patients!! Here is my story...My boosters will be less intense radiation, but directed just at the tumoe site.(26 whole breast rads + 8 boosters). I saw my Surgical Oncologists first. After mammo, core needle biopsy, and Breast MRI, he was able to pretty much tell me what my treatment would be (Surgery + Rads + hormone therapy for 5 years + surgery to remove ovaries). Then I met with my Medical Oncologist who confirmed treatment from final path report (mine took 3 days) and on to Radiation oncologist to discuss rad treatment, get simulated & tattooed. My tumor was ER/PR+, Her2nu-, 1.9cm with clean margins & nodes. So I did not require Chemo. If I had though, I would have gotten a port put in. Hope this helps. And ask as many questions as you like. We are here to help and give our experiences so that the next person that comes along can find comfort and knowlege to help them cope. :) Pammy
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #9
    Boosters are radiation
    Boosters are radiation treatments given to the tumor site only and some surrounding tissue. They are a higher dose of radiation. This information is on the Susan B. Komen breast cancer site. It has a lot about everything pertaining to breast cancer.

    I saw my oncologist right from the start. I had the mammo, the ultrasound and then the core biopsy. After that, I was sent to my oncologist to discuss my surgery, future treatment and the goal, being cured! Then, onto the plastic surgeon, and, the radiation oncologist. They want to keep you informed and to plan on your next step.

    I didn't have chemo. And, with any tumor 2cm or larger, chemo is always recommended.

    You get your pathology report after your surgery. Be sure and get it explained to you and get a copy for yourself, for your own records.

    Good luck to you Angel!
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    #10
    Hi Angel!
    I had 37 treatments total this time of radiation. 25 were the regular rads and the last 12 were boosters. I had intensity modulated radiation therapy. The boosters were a higher dose of radiation, but, only to the tumor/incision site.

    I had my mammogram first which showed microcalcifications. I then had an ultrasound, followed by an ultrasound guided core biopsy, which showed I had bc. I had a lumpectomy and followed that with the 37 rad treatments. No chemo as my tumor was very small and I had clean margins.

    After all of the above tests, my cancer center arranged for my husband and I to see everyone involved with my treatment in one day. We saw the oncologist, the radiation oncologist, my plastic surgeon, the nutritionist and even a counselor. It worked out great for us.

    I am also ER and PR positive, but, will probably not take tamoxifen as I am leary of the side effects. I am also HER2 negative.

    Please post and ask all of the questions you have. We will all help you in anyway that we can.

    Hugs, Jeanne

    If you go to my About me - Expressions Page, it goes into a lil more detail on my treatment, if you are interested.
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #11
    Jeanne D said:

    Hi Angel!
    I had 37 treatments total this time of radiation. 25 were the regular rads and the last 12 were boosters. I had intensity modulated radiation therapy. The boosters were a higher dose of radiation, but, only to the tumor/incision site.

    I had my mammogram first which showed microcalcifications. I then had an ultrasound, followed by an ultrasound guided core biopsy, which showed I had bc. I had a lumpectomy and followed that with the 37 rad treatments. No chemo as my tumor was very small and I had clean margins.

    After all of the above tests, my cancer center arranged for my husband and I to see everyone involved with my treatment in one day. We saw the oncologist, the radiation oncologist, my plastic surgeon, the nutritionist and even a counselor. It worked out great for us.

    I am also ER and PR positive, but, will probably not take tamoxifen as I am leary of the side effects. I am also HER2 negative.

    Please post and ask all of the questions you have. We will all help you in anyway that we can.

    Hugs, Jeanne

    If you go to my About me - Expressions Page, it goes into a lil more detail on my treatment, if you are interested.

    so now I wonder
    Since I had the Brachy boost-will I still have boosters at the end of my radiation, or did the Brachy cover that? And I wonder why I had the Brachy before Chemo when radiaton is normally done after. Has anyone had Brachy? I haven't seen any post about it.

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