Has anyone gone breast down for rads?

robang13
robang13 Member Posts: 333
in Breast Cancer #1
I am in week 3 of my rads. I am going breast down thru the hole for my rads. Has anyone else had it this way? I was told this was the best way to get to where my cancer was. They had to go from underneath for the surgery also. I'm wondering if this reduces the the complications of the rads since nothing is going on my chest wall?

Angela
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Comments

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #2
    I did them laying on my back
    I never heard of face down..Only thing I did face down was needle / biopsy!

    Denise
  • ElizabethB
    ElizabethB Member Posts: 89
    #3
    wow
    It is awhile before i start my 6 weeks of rads still doing chemo . I hope that is how they do me it sounds safer I will be getting my rads at Standford University I don't have any idea what to expect. I will have a lot of questions. Just for fun do they have different things for the rad tac like stars moon lady bugs lol just a little humor good luck
  • jendrey
    jendrey Member Posts: 377
    #4
    ElizabethB said:

    wow
    It is awhile before i start my 6 weeks of rads still doing chemo . I hope that is how they do me it sounds safer I will be getting my rads at Standford University I don't have any idea what to expect. I will have a lot of questions. Just for fun do they have different things for the rad tac like stars moon lady bugs lol just a little humor good luck

    ...
    I didn't. Sounds unusual. =)



    edit: sounds unusual that breast down...as for hearts, stars, moons; sounds like the least they could've offered!!! (but isn't)
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    #5
    disneyfan2008 said:

    I did them laying on my back
    I never heard of face down..Only thing I did face down was needle / biopsy!

    Denise

    It's just like the needle
    It's just like the needle biopsy but a better table! They couldn't even finish the needle biopsy on me because they couldn't get an exact location! It was very deep in the breast under the nipple. I have a "tattoo" on either side of my breast like 9 and 3 o'clock. I get the radiation in 2 doses, one directed at each tattoo. I'm raised up in the air about 4 feet and the machine goes around me. It's quicker to get set up, no molds, just come in, lay down and away we go. I actually had my first treatment on the same day I received my tattoos. I was like 5 feet in the air, face down, and he asked if I wanted my first treatment. When I was sized they did it both ways, on my back with 4 markings and then face down with 2. After they studied the results he decided that face down was best in my case. It looks like only the breast is getting it since that's all that is getting pinkish. I just wondered if any-one besides me had it this way because no-one I talked to has.

    Angela
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    #6
    jendrey said:

    ...
    I didn't. Sounds unusual. =)



    edit: sounds unusual that breast down...as for hearts, stars, moons; sounds like the least they could've offered!!! (but isn't)

    Unusual is my middle name :
    Unusual is my middle name : )! I'm always the one that gets things done just a little different from everyone else! Makes good dinner party conversation!!!

    Angela
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #7
    robang13 said:

    Unusual is my middle name :
    Unusual is my middle name : )! I'm always the one that gets things done just a little different from everyone else! Makes good dinner party conversation!!!

    Angela

    Now I can answer the question, "What did you learn today?"
    Wow, I consider myself a huge information wonk about all things breast cancer, and have been reading these boards for nearly 2 years, and have never heard of this before.

    It certainly sounds like an easier and faster method than the traditional radiation I had in 2009....Angela, did your doctor say anything about it causing fewer skin problems than traditional radiation? Just curious, since less skin is exposed...?

    Also curious where you're receiving treatment, if you don't mind sharing? Sounds like they're pioneering a new approach?

    Though I guess it might be a problem for someone who's afraid of heights! I mean, seriously -- when they raised the table up in the air for my stereotactic biopsy, I swear the air was thinner up there! :-)

    So now I have an answer for the dinner table tonight: So what did you learn in school today, honey?

    :-) Traci
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #8
    I remember someone
    I remember someone mentioning the face down radiation once and I guess I can see how it might make sense if dealing with having had a lumpectomy but makes no sense to me how it could be done if you had a mastectomy - there's nothing to 'hang' through a hole. Also how would they get to the underarm area or up the neck?

    Susan
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #9
    YES!
    I am almost 1/2 way done with my chemo and met with the rad Dr. She said she will be doing mine face down.
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #10
    And to answer your question,
    And to answer your question, my Dr. said that yes, it targets the area better so that the rest of the body doesn't get radiation if not needed.
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #11
    Rague said:

    I remember someone
    I remember someone mentioning the face down radiation once and I guess I can see how it might make sense if dealing with having had a lumpectomy but makes no sense to me how it could be done if you had a mastectomy - there's nothing to 'hang' through a hole. Also how would they get to the underarm area or up the neck?

    Susan

    I was..
    Face down when I had my breast MRI...I have heard of biopsies being down face down but not having radiation that way....sounds interesting, but like Rague, I wonder how the nodes and surrounding breast tissue and under the armpit is treated... we learn something new all the time....now if I can just remember it...haha. Chemo brain...
    Nancy
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #12
    LoveBabyJesus said:

    And to answer your question,
    And to answer your question, my Dr. said that yes, it targets the area better so that the rest of the body doesn't get radiation if not needed.

    But how can it go to the
    But how can it go to the underarm area or up the side of the neck? Or onto the back underarm area? For me, there were 4 different positions of the machine that had to do with where the positive nodes had been located - one pretty much straight on (whith a pad that helped with diffusing it - forgot the name of it only used on frontal chest), one partially up my neck, one from the front underarn and one from the back underarm.
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #13
    Rague said:

    But how can it go to the
    But how can it go to the underarm area or up the side of the neck? Or onto the back underarm area? For me, there were 4 different positions of the machine that had to do with where the positive nodes had been located - one pretty much straight on (whith a pad that helped with diffusing it - forgot the name of it only used on frontal chest), one partially up my neck, one from the front underarn and one from the back underarm.

    Perhaps only appropriate if no positive nodes?
    I had traditional radiation to both breasts simultaneously, multiple small tumors in both breasts, so a very wide treatment field -- and even in my case, the treatment field didn't include the underarm area, because all my nodes were negative. My guess is that would be a strong factor in whether or not face-down would be an appropriate treatment.

    Traci
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #14
    TraciInLA said:

    Perhaps only appropriate if no positive nodes?
    I had traditional radiation to both breasts simultaneously, multiple small tumors in both breasts, so a very wide treatment field -- and even in my case, the treatment field didn't include the underarm area, because all my nodes were negative. My guess is that would be a strong factor in whether or not face-down would be an appropriate treatment.

    Traci

    Traci..
    Yes, you are correct. My nodes were negative so they will only target the breast.
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    #15
    TraciInLA said:

    Now I can answer the question, "What did you learn today?"
    Wow, I consider myself a huge information wonk about all things breast cancer, and have been reading these boards for nearly 2 years, and have never heard of this before.

    It certainly sounds like an easier and faster method than the traditional radiation I had in 2009....Angela, did your doctor say anything about it causing fewer skin problems than traditional radiation? Just curious, since less skin is exposed...?

    Also curious where you're receiving treatment, if you don't mind sharing? Sounds like they're pioneering a new approach?

    Though I guess it might be a problem for someone who's afraid of heights! I mean, seriously -- when they raised the table up in the air for my stereotactic biopsy, I swear the air was thinner up there! :-)

    So now I have an answer for the dinner table tonight: So what did you learn in school today, honey?

    :-) Traci

    So glad I could surprise you
    So glad I could surprise you with something new!!

    I live in Yonkers NY and am going to 21st century radiology. When I was getting my catscan I was put in the position for the first time. Mind you, when I felt the table move I closed my eyes because I knew I would be laying in that position for atleast 20 minutes. I had NO idea how high up I was. All of a sudden the tech says to me "don't make any sudden moves since you are very high" I opened my eyes and almost freaked out!! I am afraid of heights!! Plus being on this little table and being afraid to move ....of course things started to itch and I was too afraid to scratch. I layed there and counted and counted and tried to breath until I was done. With the treatments I'm not as high up and it's ever in seconds so it's not as bad.

    He never mentioned anything about skin problems being less. I still can burn, peel, get a fungus etc just only in the breast area up to the arm pit.
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    #16
    Rague said:

    I remember someone
    I remember someone mentioning the face down radiation once and I guess I can see how it might make sense if dealing with having had a lumpectomy but makes no sense to me how it could be done if you had a mastectomy - there's nothing to 'hang' through a hole. Also how would they get to the underarm area or up the neck?

    Susan

    I had a lumpectomy. Don't
    I had a lumpectomy. Don't think it would work with anything else. I didn't need underarm or neck either. I had no node involvement. I have DCIS stage 0 no node involvement.
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    #17
    Rague said:

    But how can it go to the
    But how can it go to the underarm area or up the side of the neck? Or onto the back underarm area? For me, there were 4 different positions of the machine that had to do with where the positive nodes had been located - one pretty much straight on (whith a pad that helped with diffusing it - forgot the name of it only used on frontal chest), one partially up my neck, one from the front underarn and one from the back underarm.

    That would be like how they
    That would be like how they marked me when on my back. I guess since I have no node involvement this way was better and easier for me.
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    #18
    LoveBabyJesus said:

    And to answer your question,
    And to answer your question, my Dr. said that yes, it targets the area better so that the rest of the body doesn't get radiation if not needed.

    Have fun climbing on that
    Have fun climbing on that table!! One tech was shocked I could get my leg up that high w/o the help of a stool. It's like climbing on a horse just not as high. Then You have to swing your boob into the whole and get comfy. It's interesting each time.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #19
    robang13 said:

    Have fun climbing on that
    Have fun climbing on that table!! One tech was shocked I could get my leg up that high w/o the help of a stool. It's like climbing on a horse just not as high. Then You have to swing your boob into the whole and get comfy. It's interesting each time.

    So you had a lumpectomy?
    So you had a lumpectomy? Not a mastectomy or any other involvement?
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #20
    Rague said:

    So you had a lumpectomy?
    So you had a lumpectomy? Not a mastectomy or any other involvement?

    I had ...
    NO LYMPH node involvement and my rads went entirely under my arm almost to my back...that's ALL BREAST TISSUE......I had a lumpectomy....I asked the RO about radiating so far under the arm...again because it's all breast tissue....
    This is puzzling and fascinating!
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    #21
    Rague said:

    So you had a lumpectomy?
    So you had a lumpectomy? Not a mastectomy or any other involvement?

    Lumpectomy, clear margins,
    Lumpectomy, clear margins, no node involvement. Only 2 slides out of 18 malignant. I was told this was caught extremely early. You couldn't even feel it with a breast exam. It was caught on my yearly mammo.

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