radiation boosts

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confused123
confused123 Member Posts: 251
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi everyone,
Just got through reading an e-mail from a friend who had rads too. She told me that because she had a mastectomy she was given the option for the rads boosts because it isn't proven to be any better for someone who has had a mstectomey to have them. It also makes the reconstruction harder. She opted out of them. Has anyone else heard this info???

Kim

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  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #2
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    Are you talking about
    Are you talking about radiation boosters? Those are given at the end of the rad treatment. They only focus on the actual tumor site. And, lots of women with mastectomy's have radiation treatments because they can never get all of the breast tissue, so, they can still get breast cancer. And, the rads kill any stray cancer cells. I would never opt out of a treatment that could save my life or stop a recurrence. I guess I don't understand.
  • confused123
    confused123 Member Posts: 251
    #3
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    Kylez said:

    Are you talking about
    Are you talking about radiation boosters? Those are given at the end of the rad treatment. They only focus on the actual tumor site. And, lots of women with mastectomy's have radiation treatments because they can never get all of the breast tissue, so, they can still get breast cancer. And, the rads kill any stray cancer cells. I would never opt out of a treatment that could save my life or stop a recurrence. I guess I don't understand.

    Hi Kylez,
    After reading my
    Hi Kylez,

    After reading my own post back I see I did not give enough info...I am talking about boosters. I know what the rads are for and my friend had rads and I am doing it also but the doctor said that there is no research to show that the boosters at the end help women who have had mastectomies the way it is effective for women who have had lumpectomies. It would make sense to me that it wouldn't help after a mastectomy since the site of the lump, in my case lumps is not there anymore.

    Thanks for responding,
    Kim
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #4
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    confused123 said:

    Hi Kylez,
    After reading my
    Hi Kylez,

    After reading my own post back I see I did not give enough info...I am talking about boosters. I know what the rads are for and my friend had rads and I am doing it also but the doctor said that there is no research to show that the boosters at the end help women who have had mastectomies the way it is effective for women who have had lumpectomies. It would make sense to me that it wouldn't help after a mastectomy since the site of the lump, in my case lumps is not there anymore.

    Thanks for responding,
    Kim

    Hey Kim! Yea, I was a
    Hey Kim! Yea, I was a little confused too. I would still think that boosters might be in order though. The way it was explained to me was the boosters are given specifically to the tumor site incase there may be a stray cancer cell left over from the surgery. Like the scalpel the surgeon used might have missed one or caused one to hide. And, like Kylez said, there is no way they can ever get all of your breast tissue, even with a mastectomy. So, I would think they would still do boosters. But obviously, I am wrong. Luck to you !
  • confused123
    confused123 Member Posts: 251
    #5
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    Noel said:

    Hey Kim! Yea, I was a
    Hey Kim! Yea, I was a little confused too. I would still think that boosters might be in order though. The way it was explained to me was the boosters are given specifically to the tumor site incase there may be a stray cancer cell left over from the surgery. Like the scalpel the surgeon used might have missed one or caused one to hide. And, like Kylez said, there is no way they can ever get all of your breast tissue, even with a mastectomy. So, I would think they would still do boosters. But obviously, I am wrong. Luck to you !

    Thanks Noel,
    I totally get
    Thanks Noel,

    I totally get that there may be stray cells in there and that is why I am doing the rads even though for me it is the worst part of treatment. I just do not get how they can target the tumor sites after mastectomies. With lumpectomies they can see where they removed the tumor and there may still be some cells next to the site. Good Luck to you also and I love the dancing cat!

    Kim
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    #6
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    confused123 said:

    Thanks Noel,
    I totally get
    Thanks Noel,

    I totally get that there may be stray cells in there and that is why I am doing the rads even though for me it is the worst part of treatment. I just do not get how they can target the tumor sites after mastectomies. With lumpectomies they can see where they removed the tumor and there may still be some cells next to the site. Good Luck to you also and I love the dancing cat!

    Kim

    I asked fo them
    My D. hadn't put down boosters for me so i asked about them and they tacked them on. last one tomorrow!
    hugs, jackie
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #7
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    rjjj said:

    I asked fo them
    My D. hadn't put down boosters for me so i asked about them and they tacked them on. last one tomorrow!
    hugs, jackie

    Booster are at the end of
    Boosters are at the end of your radiation treatment and focused only on the tumor site, which is good. Just an extra precaution to make sure that all of the cancer cells are killed.

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