Looking for advice on side effects of radiation

RoseC
RoseC Member Posts: 559
in Breast Cancer #1

 

I usually post over on the anal cancer board but am looking for advice for my mom. She's 80 years old and was recently diagnosed with papillary breast cancer. Very early stage. She had a lumpectomy where they removed the mass. It was deemed non-invasive, encapsulated; they were able to get clear margins. The mass was in her right breast. She was very lucky.

The doctors are suggesting a three week course of radiation to prevent recurrence. Because of her age, it's only being suggested, not urged.

She has several other health issues – rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, spinal stenosis, extremely sensitive skin.

Her type of cancer was slow growing and non-agressive, however I read that if it returns it could come back in a more aggressive form.

What are the side effects of radiation to the breast? With my cancer, the side effects of pelvic radiation were pretty bad and long lasting. The doctors, although well meaning, don't always give an accurate picture of the true side effects. I'm concerned that the side effects may do her more harm than good.

Is there a lot of itching? (Mine was terrible, although short lived.) Is there diarrhea? Does it cause low blood counts? The doctor said it would be like a mild sunburn – does that sound accurate?

In the end it's my mom's decision, but she does look to me and my brother for advice. I'm leaning towards suggesting that she forgo the radiation, but thought you, those who've been through it, would have a better understanding of exactly what kind of side effects should be expected. Any advice would be appreciated and welcomed.



Thanks so much,

RoseC

Comments

  • Puffin2014
    Puffin2014 Member Posts: 531 Member
    #2
    radiation side effects

    As with all treatments, everyone reacts differently. If your mom responded like I did, she could easily handle it. My breast got pink, not even sunburn pink, no open areas, some itching but not bad. My nipple was tender and I had occasional brief shooting pains through my breast. I used Vanicream twice a day as the doctor directed.

    Diarrhea is not a side effect with breast radiation, it does not affect blood counts.

    However, I know others who developed open sores and blisters, but they also had 6 weeks of treatment, not 3.

    How is your mom's shoulder range of motion? She'd have to be able to hold her arm up and above her head, for an extended time (like 45" to an hour) holding onto a peg, for the simulation, and then about 10 minutes for each treatment.

  • aisling8
    aisling8 Member Posts: 1,627 Member
    #3
    Puffin2014 said:

    radiation side effects

    As with all treatments, everyone reacts differently. If your mom responded like I did, she could easily handle it. My breast got pink, not even sunburn pink, no open areas, some itching but not bad. My nipple was tender and I had occasional brief shooting pains through my breast. I used Vanicream twice a day as the doctor directed.

    Diarrhea is not a side effect with breast radiation, it does not affect blood counts.

    However, I know others who developed open sores and blisters, but they also had 6 weeks of treatment, not 3.

    How is your mom's shoulder range of motion? She'd have to be able to hold her arm up and above her head, for an extended time (like 45" to an hour) holding onto a peg, for the simulation, and then about 10 minutes for each treatment.

    My experience

    Hi RoseC,

    I had six weeks of radiation with next to no side effects. Towards the end, a little more tired than usual, and slightly red, but I'd say I sailed through it.  Not particularly itchy. And no pain.

    We're all different, though, so I can only hope should your mother decide to have radiation that her experience will be as non-eventful as mine.

    xoxo

    Victoria

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #4
    aisling8 said:

    My experience

    Hi RoseC,

    I had six weeks of radiation with next to no side effects. Towards the end, a little more tired than usual, and slightly red, but I'd say I sailed through it.  Not particularly itchy. And no pain.

    We're all different, though, so I can only hope should your mother decide to have radiation that her experience will be as non-eventful as mine.

    xoxo

    Victoria

    Rose,

    First, standard radiation regimens after lumpectomy are 6-7 weeks (usually 28-33 treatments total), so the regimen they're suggesting for your mom is only about half of what most of us here had.  My thought is that might be very do-able for your mom.

    Also, radiation to the breast doesn't affect major organs the way your pelvic radiation did, so, as Puffin said, there are no digestive side effects, and I've only very rarely heard of any effects to cell counts.  

    The major side effects of breast radiation are fatigue and skin burning/irritation, which varies WIDELY from person to person.  For some women, it is just like a mild sunburn.

    I had 33 radiation treatments over 7 weeks back in 2009.  I didn't even begin to feel any effects to my skin until about 2 weeks into it.  By week 6, I had open sores and burns, and was in a lot of pain for a couple of weeks, but I was amazed at how quickly I healed once radiation was over.  The burns completely healed in about 2 weeks.  

    You can still see a faint outline of the treatment field on my chest where the skin is a little darker, but I have no other lasting effects from the radiation that I know of.

    Hope that helps a little?

    Traci

  • GlowMore
    GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
    #5
    Three Weeks = 15 Days

    Sounds like they are talking about 15 Radiation Treatments.....that is less than half of what most of us have had. The location of the Lumpectomy Incision may come into play...I really don't know and that would be a question to ask the Radiation Onc.   My Lumpectomy was on the outside of my left breast and although I did have about 34 or maybe it was 36 Treatments I did not ever burn at all.   They also treated my left collar bone area because of the lymph node involvement I had....but neither place burned.   The main thing that happened to me was the Fatigue later on........and it took a very long time to get my energy back.  I was in my late 60s when I went thru it.......but we are all different and she is very lucky that her cancer was Non Invasive.   Prayers for Right Decisions.  Glo

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • RoseC
    RoseC Member Posts: 559
    #6
    Thank you all

    Thank you all so much. You've given me a lot of very good information. These forums are so important - it's great being able to hear from people who've actually been through it. Fatigue will be an issue - my mom already has quite a bit of it. Range of motion is also an issue - she broke that arm a couple of years ago and her range of motion is not good. I'm glad to hear intestinal issues won't play into this, as that is already an issue too.

    As to the length of radiation, three weeks is what we were told. I don't, however, know what intensity or final dosage is planned. It could be that they're planning a shortened version of what you had due to her age - I'll ask.

    Thank you all so very much,

    RoseC

     

  • Puffin2014
    Puffin2014 Member Posts: 531 Member
    #7
    RoseC said:

    Thank you all

    Thank you all so much. You've given me a lot of very good information. These forums are so important - it's great being able to hear from people who've actually been through it. Fatigue will be an issue - my mom already has quite a bit of it. Range of motion is also an issue - she broke that arm a couple of years ago and her range of motion is not good. I'm glad to hear intestinal issues won't play into this, as that is already an issue too.

    As to the length of radiation, three weeks is what we were told. I don't, however, know what intensity or final dosage is planned. It could be that they're planning a shortened version of what you had due to her age - I'll ask.

    Thank you all so very much,

    RoseC

     

    length of treatment

    As for length of treatment, mine was 4 weeks/20 treatments and the RO used what he called the Canadian Model, where it's a higher dose per treatment for a shorter time. As for the range of motion, my staff were willing to work with me in coming up with a position that I could get my arm into that also kept it out of the radiation field. Instead of having my arm straight up above my head and holding onto a bar they let me rest my hand under my head with my elbow resting out to the side. They had a bean bag that was positioned under my arm that once my arm was positioned correctly they sucked the air out of the bag to make it firm and each time I'd rest my arm in that mold.

  • Kaleena
    Kaleena Member Posts: 2,088 Member
    #8
    Radiation

    Hi Rose:

    My mom just turned 81 in November.  However in October she was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Breast Cancer (HER2 positive) in her right breast.   She didn't want to do anytype of treatment.  She thought about a lumpectomy, but after the CT scan, it had met to one lymph node and a tiny nodule was in each lung.   After that, surgery was out of question and they thought of chemo and herceptin.   My mom would have and still is willing to do the radiation because she was told she could drive herself to the appointments (she still drives).   She has started on herceptin only and we are going to her first scan on Wednesday since the herceptin treatments.   

    Since my mom is the same age as your mom, I wanted you to know her thoughts on it because in the end it is their decision after all.   But she originally went from no treatments whatsoever to allowing a lumpectomy only or radiation.   It was only after the scan that she decided to do the herceptin because there really wasn't any side effects.

    My best to you and your mom.

    Kathy

    PS  My mom has arthritis and she also has a hard time moving her arms.

  • onlinepillmart
    onlinepillmart Member Posts: 5
    #9
    Side effect like losing of

    Side effect like losing of hair, skin brining , rashes, pain in knees, restlessness, nausea, vomiting are the major side effects.

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