Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer |
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trip2 
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Joined: Jun 03 2007 Location: Under Palm Tree Status: Offline Points: 8549 |
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 Topic: Radiation Therapy for Breast CancerPosted: Nov 10 2012 at 1:58pm |
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Stage 2 2003
Stage 1 2007 BRCA 1+ |
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Nana Mimi
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Joined: Jun 14 2013 Location: Framingham, MA Status: Offline Points: 34 |
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Posted: Jul 23 2013 at 10:57am |
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My husband is begging me to stay off the computer but I still have so many questions and concerns.
I will have one more chemo and then start radiation. If my margins were clear, lymph nodes negative and the chemo killed any cancer cells that went AWOL early in the battle - what's the radiation for? Does it only kill cancer cells? Or any cells that are growing/dividing. Don't all cells grow and divide? How does it target only the cancer cells? Does it just 'carpet bomb' the area an not worry about collateral damage? And why am I using this military lingo??? I have not done much reading/obsessing about this next phase but the closer I get to it the more I worry about it. Intellectually I very very optimistic about my long tern recovery. I even will go so far as the say I doubt I will have a recurrence or metastasis. Emotionally - I'm a mess! All the women I have spoken to who have told me their positive outcomes have never even heard of TNBC!!! I think I will order a case of TNBC brochures and go out on a mission to educate the world - or at least my little part of it! Thanks for listening. If my husband would ever get a hearing aide I'm sure he would have turned it off by now!!! Nana Mimi
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65 yrs old. Dx 5/13. IDCIS. TNBC. Lumpectomy 1.1cm clean margins. SNB 0/3. Stage 1. Grade 2. 4/4 rnds TC. Rad X 33. Done!
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Charlene
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Joined: Aug 14 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 613 |
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Posted: Jul 23 2013 at 12:09pm |
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Hi, Nana Mimi,
It is my basic understanding that radiation helps to prevent a local or regional recurrence. That's about as much as I know about it. I think that's why they usually give a boost to the tumor bed at the end of treatment, so that if there are any cancer cells left, they will get zapped. I've had no collateral damage that I am aware of at this point. Good luck! Charlene
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DX 3/10 @59 ILC/TNBC
Stage 1, Grade 2, Multifocal; Lumpectomy/re-excision SNB 0/4 nodes, BRCA-; Taxotere/Cytoxan X4, 30 rads 3/14:NED |
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SagePatientAdvocates
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Joined: Apr 15 2009 Status: Offline Points: 4748 |
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Posted: Jul 23 2013 at 3:03pm |
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Dear Nana Mimi,
The key problem is that we don't know if all of your cancer cells were killed. The fact that you had a lumpectomy means that when you have TNBC, radiation therapy is almost always recommended to help, as Charlene has indicated, prevent a local/regional recurrence. Some women, like my daughter, were able to avoid radiation therapy by having chemo + mastectomies. Others who have more advanced disease than she did may have radiation therapy recommended event thought they are having a mastectomy or even mastectomies. In her case it was recommended that she have bi-lateral mastectomies because she is BRCA1+ and there was great risk for her to get breast cancer in her contralateral breast. Wishing you good luck with your treatment...we will be here to support you. warmly, Steve
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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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weekender09
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Joined: Mar 29 2013 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 135 |
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Posted: Jul 23 2013 at 4:41pm |
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Great article - Thanks Steve.
Barb
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02/12/13 DX TNBC, Grade III, Stage 3, 3.3cm tumor, IMN and 1 lymph Positive, Chemo A/C T complete 6/13
BRCA1-/BRCA2+ Variance, BIL 7/13, 33 RADS complete 10/13 Remssion :) |
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Lillie
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Joined: Jul 10 2009 Location: Eastern NC Status: Offline Points: 3616 |
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Posted: Jul 23 2013 at 8:58pm |
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Dear Nana Mimi,
Having a lumpectomy almost always means you get radiation. There is much breast tissue remaining after a lumpectomy and they want to be sure that no 'lurking cancer cell' in that tissue can survive, hence radiation.
I, like Steve's daughter, did not get radiation because I had a mastectomy. A lot of women do get radiation, even after having a mastectomy.
Please do not punish yourself because NOBODY else ever heard of TRIPLE NEGATIVE breast cancer. We all experience the "having to explain TN" syndrome. Please don't go ballistic on us here. You know WE UNDERSTAND and that is why your husband should not give you grief about the internet. You need our support and knowledge to get through this.
Not saying I'm full of knowledge, but some of our friends here certainly are.
Love and God Bless,
Lillie
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Dx 6/06 age 65,IDC-TNBC
Stage IIb,Gr3,2cm,BRCA- 6/06 L/Mast/w/SNB,1of3 Nodes+ 6/06 Axl. 9 nodes- 8/8 thru 11/15 Chemo (Clin-Trial) DD A/Cx4 -- DD taxol+gemzar x4 No Rads. No RECON - 11/2018-12 yrs NED |
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Nana Mimi
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Joined: Jun 14 2013 Location: Framingham, MA Status: Offline Points: 34 |
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Posted: Jul 23 2013 at 11:28pm |
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Thank you Lillie - I am much calmer now and have decided to 'put my money where my mouth is' and have some brochures printed up! I didn't mean to sound like I was going ballistic on anyone that frequents this wonderful site.
Here's some really good news - my BRCA test came back negative!!! Yeah! one less thing to worry about!!! Nana Mimi
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65 yrs old. Dx 5/13. IDCIS. TNBC. Lumpectomy 1.1cm clean margins. SNB 0/3. Stage 1. Grade 2. 4/4 rnds TC. Rad X 33. Done!
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Virginger
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Joined: Jun 02 2013 Location: Charlotte, NC Status: Offline Points: 17 |
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Posted: Jul 24 2013 at 12:33am |
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YEAH for the negative BRAC...same here...have my last chemo (6 of 6) FRIDAY.....Still haven't met with a RO yet, I'll ask MO about that this week. You asked the questions I was wondering Nana Mimi. Thanks
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Virginia
Dx 1/17/2013, IDC, 2cm, Stage I, Grade 1, 0/4 nodes, mets, ER-/PR-, HER2- Surgery 02/21/2013 Lumpectomy (Left) Chemotherapy 04/12/2013 Cytoxan, Taxotere Radiation after chemo |
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Lillie
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Joined: Jul 10 2009 Location: Eastern NC Status: Offline Points: 3616 |
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Posted: Jul 24 2013 at 8:47am |
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Dear Nana Mimi,
I didn't mean to say that you are going ballistic toward anyone on this site. You're great!! You just feel, as so many of us feel, about having to constantly explain TN to those who don't know.
Love and god Bless,
Lillie
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Dx 6/06 age 65,IDC-TNBC
Stage IIb,Gr3,2cm,BRCA- 6/06 L/Mast/w/SNB,1of3 Nodes+ 6/06 Axl. 9 nodes- 8/8 thru 11/15 Chemo (Clin-Trial) DD A/Cx4 -- DD taxol+gemzar x4 No Rads. No RECON - 11/2018-12 yrs NED |
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Fats1976
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Joined: Dec 13 2012 Location: South Africa Status: Offline Points: 71 |
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Posted: Jul 24 2013 at 4:38pm |
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So true, here in South Africa, it's been exactly the same, when I tell people my mom had tnbc, they were clueless, through all our treatments, chemo and radiation, never met 1 person with tnbc! Think I've explained tnbc, 1000 times.... and they still look @ me as if I'm speaking French! Nana, tell your hubby knowledge is power, it made me feel better, but beware where you look for answers, this is definetly the best place, I also questioned the need for radiation, I'm sure if you search under Let's talk about radiation, you'll find it there, I got excellent advice here! My mom has just finished radiation, she breezed through it, with only the last week, being very fatigued, and a little burnt, but one week out, and she's healing beautifully! She said rads anyday, chemo very hard! GOD BLESS and well wishes.... Fats
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Mom Dx 9/12
Stage 1c No Nodes involved. Lump clear margins 10/12. Started 6 months of cmf chemo 11/12. Ended 4/13. RADS 28 tx 7 boosts ended 7/13. 02/14 Scans NED. 10/14 Scans NED. 6/15 Scans NED. |
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JulieKCA2013
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Joined: Mar 12 2013 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 217 |
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Posted: Jul 29 2013 at 10:33pm |
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I met with my radiation team today for my initial consult. they told me they will be radiating the affected breast side chest wall, supraclavical nodes and mammary nodes but not the axillary nodes. When i asked why not the axillary nodes they said because i only had 4 positive nodes and there was no evidence the disease moved out of the area. They said also that even though they aren't targeting the axillary, the axillary will get some cross beam on the lower end. This doesn't make sense to me why they wouldn't target the axillary also especially because i was under the impression that with TNBC they are aggressive with radiation. I know they said there is a higher lymphedema risk when they target the axillary but i'd rather take that chance then them ignore an area that I had positive nodes.
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Dx 3-7-13 TNBC, 5cm pT2N1M0
3-19-13 ACx4, 5-14-13 Taxolx4 7-17-13 BMX ypT1N2M0(.9mm) 4/24 nodes. 10-8-13 completed Rads x 30 12-3-13 completed Eribulin Trial 10-18-13, 3-19-14 Bone/Ct Scan Clear |
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