Radiation 5 day?

Kathleen808
Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi,
I have been a regular poster on the Colon Cancer board since Jan 09 when my husband was diagnosed with stage 3c. He has had 2 major surgeries and just finished his 32nd chemo treatment and hopefully his last. Scans next week.

Which brings me to my wonderful beloved mother who has been a rock for us throughout the past almost 2 years. She was diagnosed with Stage 1 mucinous ademocarcinoma (sorry about spelling) a few weeks ago. She has had scans and is scheduled for a lumpectomy in a week. She and my dad are trying to decide between radiation that will go twice a day for 5 days or radiation that will go every day for I think 7 weeks. She is being seen at a Breast Cancer center in Fullerton California that is associated with St. Jude's hospital. Thank you for any guidance you can give on this. My mom is a spunky 71 year old who walks 2 miles a day and works 20 hours a week. She has a ton of life left in her.

Aloha,
Kathleen

Comments

  • Aortus
    Aortus Member Posts: 967
    #2
    Hi Kathleen
    Congratulations to you and your husband both on reaching (I hope and pray) the end of his chemo treatments. As a fellow caregiver (my beloved wife Moopy is 22 months out from stage 3c triple negative breast cancer) I also commend you for being there for him.

    With regard to your Mom, it would seem to me that doing the one-week course will ultimately let her get back to walking and working that much faster. Especially since it sounds like the seven weeks of not being able to get around as usual would be harder on her than the actual radiation!

    Best of luck to all of you, and God Bless!
    Joe
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #3
    Thanks Joe
    Thanks Joe for your kind words. You sound like a very loving husband. :)
    You're right that my mom is motivated to do the twice a day radiation to get on with it. I just want to make sure there are not increased risks and that it is as effective. You're right that she wants to get back to walking with my dad and seeing the grandkids.

    Take care.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member
    #4
    Kathleen808 said:

    Thanks Joe
    Thanks Joe for your kind words. You sound like a very loving husband. :)
    You're right that my mom is motivated to do the twice a day radiation to get on with it. I just want to make sure there are not increased risks and that it is as effective. You're right that she wants to get back to walking with my dad and seeing the grandkids.

    Take care.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen

    Kathleen,
    My prayers are
    Kathleen,
    My prayers are with you and your mom and your hubby. My understanding is that the twice a day is as affective but hasn't been around as long. And it is supposed to be much easier on the body. There are ladies who have done this and I am sure they will chime in with first hand information.
    Stef
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #5
    fauxma said:

    Kathleen,
    My prayers are
    Kathleen,
    My prayers are with you and your mom and your hubby. My understanding is that the twice a day is as affective but hasn't been around as long. And it is supposed to be much easier on the body. There are ladies who have done this and I am sure they will chime in with first hand information.
    Stef

    Thanks Stef
    Thanks Stef. Great smile on the little person in your pic. :)

    Kathleen
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #6
    Kathleen808 said:

    Thanks Stef
    Thanks Stef. Great smile on the little person in your pic. :)

    Kathleen

    Sending prayers for your
    Sending prayers for your family. I know something of the 5 day rads, but, my rads oncologist doesn't think that it has been proven yet. I think it is still considered in the trial stages, as, there are no long term survivors yet. And, I think some are just focused at the tumor site and not everywhere where there is breast tissue, which is under your breast to the middle of your chest, under your arm and up to your collar bone.

    But, this is a personal decision and your Mom should do what is best for her and what she can do.

    Either way, I wish her the best!

    Hugs, Kylez
  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441 Member
    #7
    I had the 5 day irradiation Sept '09
    Aloha, Kathleen. I had the 5 day (brachytherapy means "shortened") radiation. It can be delivered in several ways. The most popular, because it's been around longer, is Mammosite. There are also these ways of delivering the 5 day radiation: Contura, SAVI, and through interstitial multi-catheters. I had the latter, for reasons of size and shape of cavity. You can Google any of these to get more information. My radiologist's website is designed to be educational about all of them, so here it is: http://www.arizona-breast-cancer-specialists.com/

    Having something implanted in my breast was grueling for me, but it was WELL worth it. The third phase of clinical trials is almost done and the results are leaning toward showing that brachytherapy is as effective as whole breast irradiation, and it does less damage to heart, liver, ribs, etc.! Going twice a day for 5 days is a commitment, but so, so short that, again, it's worth it. My sessions were 45 minutes long but that's because I had 45 catheters, a record number for his office. Most women were in and out of there within 20 minutes!

    This is only available to lumpectomy patients, so your mother is lucky in that regard.

    Please feel free to respond with questions in a Personal Message. After my experience, I made it my mission to tell as many women about this alternative to the skin-burning whole breast irradiation!
    ~~Connie~~
  • Aortus
    Aortus Member Posts: 967
    #8
    crselby said:

    I had the 5 day irradiation Sept '09
    Aloha, Kathleen. I had the 5 day (brachytherapy means "shortened") radiation. It can be delivered in several ways. The most popular, because it's been around longer, is Mammosite. There are also these ways of delivering the 5 day radiation: Contura, SAVI, and through interstitial multi-catheters. I had the latter, for reasons of size and shape of cavity. You can Google any of these to get more information. My radiologist's website is designed to be educational about all of them, so here it is: http://www.arizona-breast-cancer-specialists.com/

    Having something implanted in my breast was grueling for me, but it was WELL worth it. The third phase of clinical trials is almost done and the results are leaning toward showing that brachytherapy is as effective as whole breast irradiation, and it does less damage to heart, liver, ribs, etc.! Going twice a day for 5 days is a commitment, but so, so short that, again, it's worth it. My sessions were 45 minutes long but that's because I had 45 catheters, a record number for his office. Most women were in and out of there within 20 minutes!

    This is only available to lumpectomy patients, so your mother is lucky in that regard.

    Please feel free to respond with questions in a Personal Message. After my experience, I made it my mission to tell as many women about this alternative to the skin-burning whole breast irradiation!
    ~~Connie~~

    Our neighbor's experience with brachytherapy = positive
    One of our neighbors, a very nice retired fellow in his early 70s (I would guess) was diagnosed in early 2008 with prostate cancer, and was treated with brachytherapy: he had radioactive crystals implanted in several locations. He's doing absolutely great, and the only side effect he reports is that some foods taste a little different. As he points out, a very small price to pay!
  • Megan M
    Megan M Member Posts: 3,000
    #9
    Aortus said:

    Our neighbor's experience with brachytherapy = positive
    One of our neighbors, a very nice retired fellow in his early 70s (I would guess) was diagnosed in early 2008 with prostate cancer, and was treated with brachytherapy: he had radioactive crystals implanted in several locations. He's doing absolutely great, and the only side effect he reports is that some foods taste a little different. As he points out, a very small price to pay!

    I think, and no offense, for
    I think, and no offense, for older survivors, the 5 day would probably be better for them. However, the 5 day is still in clinical trials, but, I would still think for someone older it would be the best if offered. Good luck to your Mother.

    Hugs, Megan
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #10
    Hi Kathleen
    My sister is a bc survivor of 9 years. She had DCIS lumpectomy and 6 weeks of radiation followed by 5 years on Tamoxifen. She had a recurrence of DCIS in her other breast and will have lumpectomy Oct. 14 followed by 5 days of rads 2x/day. She will have a device inserted during the lumpectomy. When the 5 days of rads are done the device will be removed. This is much easier than going 5 days a week for 6 or 7 weeks! I wish your mom the best in making a decision.
    {{hugs}} Char
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #11
    Thank you!
    Thank you everyone who has replied. I knew you would be wonderful and have good info to share. I have forwarded this info to my mom and will continue to check back.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #12
    I did daily for 8 wks
    THEY did not give me the option of the twice a day (or the seed type)

    Perhaps since I worked full time & going 2x daily...so I did not have a choice they just said YOU"LL need to go for 8 wks daily..

    I"ll be thinking of your family!
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #13
    I started with brachytherapy
    I started with brachytherapy but the cavity was shaped in such a way that the radiation could not reach the entire area, so I still had to do the external radiation. Having the instrument in your body for a week is uncomfortable to say the least but I think well worth it if this type of radiation works for her.

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