mammosite radiation

sgamtd
sgamtd Member Posts: 124
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I was hoping to find a doctor who performs the surgery and gets me set up for mammosite, and I guess I am not sure of the sequence of events during breast cancer surgery/radiation.
I understood that I would have a lumpectomy, have a lymph node removed, tested for cancer, and if none found in the lymphnode, the surgeon would place the device that would "feed" the radiation to the site where the lump was. Then radition would be done for 5 days, twice a day and I assumed starting on the day of the surgery. I guess each case is different, but from what I have read here, the radiation is not done right away ??????
To anyone who care to respond, I thank you. I was recently diagnosed. 06/23/09, and will need to travel far for the treatment.

Comments

  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #2
    The mammosite radiation is
    The mammosite radiation is still in the clinical trial stages. It has no long term results to prove one way or the other if it works. I had it and it didn't work. My bc came back. I had a friend that had it and her cancer came back in her upper chest where it isn't given with mammosite and she died. It only focuses on the tumor site, which isn't good, in my opinion, as you have breast tissue clear up to your collarbone. I wish I would have listened to my oncologist, he warned me of the unproven results with it. Some people take it for the convenience, and, just wanting a short version with few side effects, but, just know what you are doing please. I wish anyone that takes it good luck. But, it really is still being tested in clinical trials and has no long term facts to show it works. Obviously, it didn't work for me, nor my friend. And, sadly she died.
  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
    #3
    susie09 said:

    The mammosite radiation is
    The mammosite radiation is still in the clinical trial stages. It has no long term results to prove one way or the other if it works. I had it and it didn't work. My bc came back. I had a friend that had it and her cancer came back in her upper chest where it isn't given with mammosite and she died. It only focuses on the tumor site, which isn't good, in my opinion, as you have breast tissue clear up to your collarbone. I wish I would have listened to my oncologist, he warned me of the unproven results with it. Some people take it for the convenience, and, just wanting a short version with few side effects, but, just know what you are doing please. I wish anyone that takes it good luck. But, it really is still being tested in clinical trials and has no long term facts to show it works. Obviously, it didn't work for me, nor my friend. And, sadly she died.

    Unfortunately, there are no

    Unfortunately, there are no guarantees, even with the full regimen of radiation. My initial cancer was caught very early (the initial biopsy only showed DCIS), and I had a lumpectomy and radiation. If anyone shouldn't have to worry about a recurrence, it should be me. It was very early, very slow growing, and I did all the treatments.

    Nine years later, I had cancer again in the same breast. I am still blessed, because it was DCIS, and with a mastectomy, my life expectancy should not be impacted.

    Joyce
  • sgamtd
    sgamtd Member Posts: 124
    #4
    susie09 said:

    The mammosite radiation is
    The mammosite radiation is still in the clinical trial stages. It has no long term results to prove one way or the other if it works. I had it and it didn't work. My bc came back. I had a friend that had it and her cancer came back in her upper chest where it isn't given with mammosite and she died. It only focuses on the tumor site, which isn't good, in my opinion, as you have breast tissue clear up to your collarbone. I wish I would have listened to my oncologist, he warned me of the unproven results with it. Some people take it for the convenience, and, just wanting a short version with few side effects, but, just know what you are doing please. I wish anyone that takes it good luck. But, it really is still being tested in clinical trials and has no long term facts to show it works. Obviously, it didn't work for me, nor my friend. And, sadly she died.

    Mammosite
    Dear Susie
    Thanks for taking time to answer my question, turns out I could not have the mammosite radiation due to the location of my lump, it's right under the skin, and mammosite needs flesh/tissue to "build" the pocket that holds the balloon and catheter. However, looking for a mammosite surgeon did provide me with some peace of mind, because I found the right doctor for me. Instead of a general surgeon, I now see a Breast Cancer Surgeon, and am scheduled for a MRI and mammogram (something was noticed in my other breast by new doctor, and that needs to be addressed.)

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