hi,
Been reading about the radiation treatment, and it seems that those that had nodal involvement get more blasts than those who’s nodes were clear.
So my question is, can anyones see from their experiance wether or not having the double whammy made the burns worse?? Or do just as many people with no nodal involvement burn badly
Morning oldandlumpy
In my experience, >4 node involvement means rads to a greater area, above breast up to neck. I don’t know whether that also means receiving a double whammy dosis; do you refer to the so-called boosters?
I had node involvement and received 15 rads plus 3 boosters. I was lucky, although the skin got a bit red and sensitive. I did not burn.
Hope that helps
Nikki
I had 6/12 nodes affected.
I had 15 rads (40 gy) to breast and collarbone area and four boosts (another 12 gy). I had a burn in the crease underneath and also my nipple burnt, but that’s a more delicate area anyway and because of the position of my tumour site they had to include half my nipple in the boost area. Everywhere else just went pink and I can still see it although it’s not as clear as it was.
Almost three weeks after my last rads now and the burns are healing nicely. My nipple has peeled and I can wear a bra again but it’s not wonderfully comfortable and my skin still feels prickly.
Jane xxx
i had no node involvement and had 15 rads and 5 boosts. burnt under crease of boob and bit sore on boost area. all healed up nicely tho 3 weeks later.
I had no node involvement. 15 rads and 5 boosters (clear margins not as clear as they’d have liked). I had general reddening, itchy nipple, redder boosted area but no real problems. I used aqueous cream. I’m not well enough endowed to have a crease underneath! The radiographer told me that’s where most women have problems and why I wasn’t having any.
When I had my first lot of rads in 2007, I had had 9 nodes affected so was given 33 rads the standard 25, then 8 booster ones that went higher up to my collar bone. The skin on my breast which had had all 33 was fine - very tanned, but with no broken skin. The area that had had only 8 was more sore, with a patch of broken skin(however this was due to the seat belt rubbing this area I think).
I have recently had 10 more rads to my femur following surgery for bone mets and the skin on the back of my leg is very tanned, with one very purply/brown area and a sore patch of broken skin!
I guess everyone is different, but also each time can be different- I guess there is no rhyme or reason to any treatment we have and we just have to learn to have no expectations or to expect the unexpected!
PS. If nodes are involved they radiate a larger area - ie include the armpit - not stronger rays to breast area. I had no nodes, but they included up to collarbone area. 40 grays over 15 days, (2.66 per day, half from each side), 12 and a half for boosted area, two and a half each day.
how do you know if your having a booster treatment?
i think they tell you at your planning. i am having 15 sessions followed by 5 booster sessions
I had no nodal involvement but was given 15 standard and 2 boosts of radiotherapy. This finished in September. Since Christmas, I have experienced a continually worsening radiotherapy effect on my breast tissue and will now lose my breast. A close friend of mine had same size and type of tumour, had fast track 5 sessions and is doing absolutely fine.