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Expanders + Radiation

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maryjahn View Drop Down
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    Posted: Feb 09 2010 at 2:29am

I would like to hear from those of you who have had mastectomies who had radiation with expanders in.

 
Question:  Have any of you had any long term problems?  Any regrets?  Any contraction problems?
 
Diagnosed TNBC 9/2009. Stage 3, Chemo TC
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k.c. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote k.c. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 05 2010 at 10:33pm
Maryjahn
I just saw your question so sorry for the late response... I had expanders put in during the bilateral mast surgery so I had them through chemo and radiation. The PS was not happy I was having radiation because he knew they would never be perfectly the same BUT I had to have radiation and told him so. He has been patient and worked with me through the few problems it has cause. The radiated side was noticeable higher than the non with the expanders in. Now that he has done reconstruction it is a bit better but still sits higher and i try to remember to massage and push it down every day. (He made my natural fold match the non radiated side during reconstruction) Other than that no real issues...
k.c.
DX 06/26/09:TNBC, BRCA 1+
IDC, Stage IIB, Grade 3
1 + lymph node,
07/21/09 bilateral mast
AC&T chemo(x6), 33 rads
4/23/10 reconstruction
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maryjahn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 06 2010 at 10:27am
K.C.  Thank you for your response!  I no longer come here because it seems that everyone left and went to breastcancer.org to the TN site there.  You can find me on Calling All TN's, Exchange City, & Foobville with a bunch of great and supportive women. 
 
As to the radiated breast, from what I have heard, they tend to go up and if it becomes too much of a problem, they can do a surgery to get rid of the scar tissue and try to get it back into place.  I just had my exchange, and I ended up not needing radiation after all, but I wear a post surgical bra with a band at the top that pushes the breast down for you.  You can also achieve this by wrapping around the top of your chest at night with an ace bandage (not too tight!).
 
thanks again for your reply!
Mary
Diagnosed TNBC 9/2009. Stage 3, Chemo TC
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SagePatientAdvocates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 06 2010 at 10:45am
Dear Mary,

Not everyone left...Smile

I am glad you are finding breastcancer.org helpful for you..

good luck to you!!!

Wonderful, supportive women and a couple of guys remain here and I feel this site is an important resource.

I love TNBC Foundation because it still feels like "family" to me-intimate and caring...and knowledge is shared openly and generously. Also, I am very impressed with the dedication of two of the founders I met, Hayley and Allison and also Elizabeth Woolfe, our new Executive Director, hard at work on many projects that benefit our community...Hope to meet Arlene, as well, someday...I think she is doing an excellent job as moderator along with other things she tackles.

Mary, I find that, if anything the membership and participation on this site has increased dramatically in the last year, yet the warmth has remained.

That great philosopher, Yogi Berra, once said "Nobody goes to that restaurant anymore because it's too crowded." Smile TNBC strikes an estimated 170,000 women a year according to an article published in final form on PubMed recently. Certainly, there is room for several sites. I continue to believe that the 'culture' and 'family-feeling' here are very special.

Mary, good luck to you...

all the best,

Steve

link to the article (complete article available at no charge)-

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2919761/

abstract-

Biology, Metastatic Patterns, and Treatment of Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Carey K. Anders and Lisa A. Carey
Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Address for correspondence: Lisa A. Carey, MD, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Physician’s Office Building, 3rd Floor, 170 Manning Dr, Campus Box 7305, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, Fax: 919-966-6735; Email: lisa_carey@med.unc.edu
Small right arrow pointing to: See other articles in PMC that cite the published article.
Of the estimated 1 million cases of breast cancer diagnosed annually worldwide, it is estimated that over 170,000 will harbor the triple-negative (estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor/HER2–negative) phenotype. Most, though not all, triple-negative breast cancers will be basal-like on gene expression micorarrays. The basal-like molecular subtype exhibits a unique molecular profile and set of risk factors, aggressive and early pattern of metastasis, limited treatment options, and poor prognosis. Large population-based studies have identified a higher proportion of triple-negative breast tumors among premenopausal African American women, and a suggestion that increased parity, younger age at first-term pregnancy, shorter duration of breast feeding, and elevated hip-to-waist ratio might be particular risk factors. When BRCA1 mutation carriers develop breast cancer, it is usually basal-like; given the central role of BRCA1 in DNA repair, this could have profound therapeutic implications. When diagnosed, triple-negative breast cancers illustrate preferential relapse in visceral organs, including the central nervous system. Although initial response to chemotherapy might be more profound, relapse is early and common among triple-negative breast cancers compared with luminal breast cancers. The armamentarium of “targeted therapeutics” for triple-negative breast cancer is evolving and includes strategies to inhibit angiogenesis, epidermal growth factor receptor, and other kinases. Finally, the positive association between triple-negative breast cancer and BRCA mutations makes inhibition of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase–1 an attractive therapeutic strategy that is in active study.




Edited by steve - Sep 06 2010 at 10:56am
I am a BRCA1+ grandson, son and father of women affected by breast/oc-my daughter inherited mutation from me, and at 36, was dx 2004 TNBC I am a volunteer patient advocate with SAGE Patient Advocates
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