I had a mast with immediate recon in June of this year and have just finished my chemo a couple of weeks ago, my onc is saying that as I had a mast I won’t need rads as it could cause more harm than good. I’m a bit concerned as I know other ladies on here have had rads after a mast, and have been told that rads are more effective than chemo on a localised area.
I’m going for a second opinion on Monday and just wanted to know others thoughts on it. I had 1 node that was cancerous and it was oestrogen +. Before my chemo the consultant mentioned that rads could harden the implant, so I’m worried that this is why they are reluctant to do it but I don’t think that’s a good enough reason for not doing it.
Does anyone have any views or ideas for questions I should ask on Monday.
I had a bi.mx and considered immed recon. My surgeon would not do immed recon as she said I may need rads and I believe this can have an effect on the implant. I chose not to have recon and will be starting rads Mon 24 Nov. However I did not have any chemo so maybe this will suffice in your case.
Angela
I had a mast plus immediate recon (expander implant in June this year) and was also told that there was a chance that radiotherapy could harden the implant. I’m not sure if it was just down to luck, but there has been no effect on my implant from the radiotherapy treatment whatsoever.
I was dx with a grade 3, 3.5cm triple negative IDC and the results after 4x AC/4x Tax was that there was no nodes involved. My consultant said that there is a grey area concerning whether patients who have had mast and no nodes would benefit from having rads. I told my consultant straight that I wanted every possible bit of treatment on offer to try to stop this darn thing coming back and in the end, I insisted on having rads. I am so glad I did as I would never have forgiven myself if I had a recurrence and didn’t have all the treatments available - I am triple negative, so there are no other treatment options/follow on drugs available for me. Best wishes to you. Jacqui xx
I had a mast and was told not to consider recon until we knew if I needed Rads after the chemo. I was told yesterday that they got all the cancer in surgery and my lymphs were clear and that the chemo is just a life insurance policy. I assumed that I would not needs rads based on this news but it is still a possibility - so I am none the wiser really.
Mandy2310
I was told that they got clearance in my case. I had two breasts off and in both cases when they took them 1 lymph node came away with each one of them. They dug for another 3 from the right breast as this breast was invasive. The node that came away with the right breast contained cancer but the 3 they took from this breast did not. They told me that chemo would only prove to be another 2% beneficial to me if I wanted to have it. I reversed the roles and asked the consultant what she would do in my position and she said she would not do chemo as the benefits were not that big. However I do need rads which I start next week and now I am only having this to my right breast (the one with the cancer node).