Hi I was just wondering if anyone else was told they would need a boost but was unable to have it because they didn’t have any clips put in to pinpoint the tumour site during WLE . I feel very concerned about this as it not that I didn’t need it , it’s just adding to all the other things I am trying to deal with , which I am not coping well with at all :-/
HI Helen I can see why you would feel anxious about that. I thought they put clips into everyone. I was a bit put out that no one mentioned them to me. I just spotted mine on the year on mammogram. I didn’t have a boost either & everyone else did. I don’t know why they decided that. The radiotherapy doesn’t make that much difference if your recurrence risk is low e.g. If you have 2% chance of it coming back you only gain c.10% (depending on your exact diagnosis) which makes .2% difference. Doing things like diet & exercise can have a greater impact. So if you’ve had the main rads, don’t worry about the boost, it would make even less difference. Might be worth asking about why the clips were omitted though. Hope you’re feeling ok. xx
Hi Helen. I was told by my Rad Oncologist that by NOT having rads after lumpectomy increased my risk of recurrence by 25%. So it appears there is a vast array of differing opinions and stats. Boosts were only given to patients with higher grade/larger tumours, as I asked if I could have one and was told ‘no, it isn’t necessary’. BTW, clips are usually only inserted in tumours which are not palpable or are very difficult to see on mammograms. I had one inserted as my lump couldn’t be felt and was deep in the 6 o’clock position. 
Hi, are these clips a new thing for radiotherapy? I’ve heard they put clips in for those having chemo first so they know where the tumour was. I was diagnosed 10 years ago and there was no mention of clips for radiotherapy boosters. I had 7 boosters, the oncologist came and was looking at notes then marked where the tumour had been. Also my tumour was only 17mm and grade 2 so not large or aggressive :smileyhappy: Actually I just remembered lol I did have an area of high grade DCIS removed too so maybe that was a factor in the boosters :smileyhappy:
Hi ladies thank you so very much for replying to my post , I had a grade 3 , 27mm IDC and low and intermediate grades DCIS . I was diagnosed in march and had WLE 11 days later. I have to take Tamoxifen for 5 years then will be changed to another drug , I am 13 out of 15 days into Radiotherapy which I am coping with quite well just sore tired and hot . I was sooo positive when I first found out but now I just feel lost , I’ve just been swept along with the treatment ( which I am very grateful for ) but I just don’t know what to do to get my life back to normal , so much has changed in such a short space of time . I feel bad for feeling so negative but it all seems beyond my control. I am seeing my consultant in July so maybe that will help ?? , thanks again ladies
Thank you for your kind words I really appreciate them , i to had SNB which thankfully was clear (couldn’t remember how to abbreviate it , fuzzy brain !! ) . Strangest pain I have ever felt and I had 6 children naturally !! . I don’t know if it’s just a coincidence but since I started radiotherapy my underarm has been very painful again ?? .I also had reconstructive surgery to both breasts so have quite extensive scarring but I can live with that (I think :-/ ) My life wasn’t perfect before breast cancer but it was in my control and they were my choices and my decisions , hopefully I will feel like that again , sooner rather than later … God just read this back and I sound so sorry for myself and what’s worse , I don’t even care 
xxxx
Your right about this breast cancer lark being a funny old business , 15 weeks ago they were words never even needing a mention in our home , now we are lucky if a day goes by without them coming into play , life’s bizarre xxxx
Dear Tigony sorry to hear about all that your going through , as if breast cancer wasn’t enough . I think the nature this disease makes it a lonely one , everyone’s experience of it is so unique . At times I find myself surrounded by people who love me or want to help me but yet I still feel so alone . We can only be kind to ourselves and give ourselves time to heal emotionally as well as physically Bad things happen but life still goes on and maybe what doesn’t kill us really does make us stronger,… we live in hope , have to really . Can I just say it’s lovely to have somewhere like this website to express yourself and maybe help someone in the process . XX