Finished radiotherapy to chest wall, armpit and collarbone about 4 weeks ago. I have slightly brownish skin on the chest but but no reaction whatsoever in the other areas. Is it possible they can miss the mark? Particularly nervous since positive nodes were left in at the time of surgery.
Anyone else with similar experience?
Sarcath
Hi Sarcath
I didn’t have my armpit radiated but did have chest and collarbone area (supposedly). Chest area has gone brown but collarbone area doesn’t seem to have reacted at all and I was wondering the same as you!
Ruby x
It really does make you wonder! Especially since they failed to mark me up for armpit at first. On first day of treatment had to go through simulator etc all over again and then wait hours. If I hadn’t been aware they could easily have missed doing it. Not very reassuring to start with!
See oncologist next week so shall definitely be asking about this!
Sarcath
Think I’ll be doing the same as you and just double check with oncologist that the collar bone area did in fact receive rads. I think they did as the team were excellent and I questioned them everyday about what areas they were covering. There is just such a contrast in the skin reaction in the two different areas.
Ruby
Hi Sarcath,
Just a guess but could it be that the areas which didn’t show any reaction are the ones which are used to getting suntanned, so that the skin is perhaps less sensitive and likely to react? I only had rads to the breast area, which went nicely pink for a while.
Kathy
I would check with you or onc or rads cons but it might be different strengths of rads was used for different areas. Just a guess though.
Good luck
Kate