Hi. I had mastectomy and recon with implant followed by 15 radiotherapies. It did affect the implant - it became tight and started to pull under my arm. I had the implant changed at about 16 months later. That was 11 years ago and I’ve had no further issues. I wasn’t given a choice how many sessions.
Surgeon’s rationale going straight to implant rather than expander then implant was that radiotherapy doesn’t affect everyone. He said that with expander it’s definitely 2 surgeries but with implant it’s only one and worse case 2 if you’re unlucky with radiotherapy. Best of luck with yours x
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Thanks ever so much for sharing. I think im beginning to get an idea of what to expect. Ill ve glad to get tomorrows 2 appointments out of the way so i know the plan! For the infection and the radiotherapy! X
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Hiya, I also had an implant before radiotherapy and post radiotherapy my implant encapsulated (tighter and higher so misshapen). I didn’t have any choice of the number of sessions and that was in 2019. I haven’t had the courage to get it fixed yet. I do really hope it goes well for you.
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Hi @susynight
I had my mastectomy and silicone implant operation last June and then 15 rounds of radiotherapy in October. It’s common for surgeons to say that silicone implants and radiotherapy hate each other and they wouldn’t normally give the implant if they know that radiotherapy is on the cards. Radiotherapy wasn’t on the cards for me when I had my surgery.
So be prepared for maybe a little fibrosis or a bit of capsular contracture but it may not happen either. I went for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy during my radiotherapy which seemed to minimise the damage. But appreciate it might not be available in your area. My radiotherapy was to the chest wall if that helps at all.
So in short, they can’t guarantee that there won’t be any damage if you have a silicone implant but just be prepared for some. Does that help?
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Thanks for replies theyre very helpful. I had my planning ct today and start radiotherapy on 25th but still no decision on how many sessions. Theyve booked an information telephone appointment for the 24th so im presuming that may be to tell me how many sessions. Everything is waiting, waiting isnt it!!
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Sadly my HERII was underneath the old impant, so it wasnt found util i had a chest xray for a persistant cough. Surgeon replaced a 19 year old implant, and agreed with me that a 5 session of RT would be best for me. We did disuss the options at length, and i found the ladies at BreastCancerNow the most helpful.
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Such a worry what goes on under an implant isnt it. Glad they found yours though. Mine was at the side so i could feel it but was told it was fat necrosis originally. Glad i got it checked again.
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Had a call from the Oncologist today to say the CT showed a haematoma in my reconstruction so ill need 15 radiotherapy sessions instead of the 5 initially hoped for. It does explain why its still red hot and swollen at least!
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My implant/ reconstructed boob has coped well so far but im on 14 of 15 tonight and it feels like it could explode, its that hot, swollen and red. Chest is covered in a heat rash! Final treatment tomorrow thankgoodnes! Has anyone else had such a reaction towards the end with an implant?
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@susynight I didn’t have those reactions during but a month later I was diagnosed with cellulitis - bright red and swollen boob and I had a bit of a fever. . In the words of the ultrasound doctor “what a corker”.
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Oh gosh! Hope its ok now. Im all finished now so i guess time will tell whether it goes down and rash goes. Hopefully lumps will resolve. Think ill give it a couple of weeks unless it gets worse.
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Just came across this thread and want to see how you’re feeling and how is the implant holding up after radiotherapy?
I recently had a mastectomy and have a tissue expander in place with the plan for a two-stage reconstruction and future implant exchange. Radiotherapy is being suggested but my worry is that radiotherapy could increase the risk of implant or reconstruction failure… I haven’t known anyone who’s had RT on implants so unsure what’s best.
Hi the implant is so far holding up. Im 9 weeks post radiotherapy. Ive gad some issues with very red hot skin, pooling at the bottom. Also the recon has been very swollen. I had a heamatoma prior to the radiotherapy so it could be linked to that I guess. The implant itself feels quite hard but smooth. Its sitting very high. I went back to see the surgeon and he was happy apart from the redness and swelling. He said to massage it with ibuprofen gel. He said we wont know how well the implant has survived for about 12 months but so far so good.
Good luck with your further treatments and decisions. Im happy to let you know if any further problems come up with the implant. Xx
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@susynight i noticed you mentioned LD + implant reconstruction which is something I had raised but I was advised the UK no longer offers this. As I never wanted a DIEP flap I opted for an expander at time of mastectomy. But in the worst scenario if the expander / future implant did fail, I do wonder if LD + implant could still be considered without having to go flat or resort to DIEP.. what was your experience with LD + implant? How did you recover back then?
I had an LD & implant reconstruction but plastic surgeon in 2004. Mainly because I didnt have enough fat on belly! Different story now! Cosmetically every doctor ive seen over 21 years has said what a fantastic recon it is. Im very active and it has never stopped me doing anything including a life of owning and riding horses.
Practically i had a few problems with nerve damage and I had a nerve cut to stop it contracting in the first couple of years. I also had some Chinese cupping to release scar tissue in the back scar which was amazing.
I have had no complaints. I wonder if the reason the LD has become less used because its onco plastic surgeons rather than specialist plastic surgeons doing the reconstructions nowadays.
When I had mine done in 2004 I had a breast surgeon do the mastectomy then plastic surgeon reconstruct in same surgery. In 2025 the breast surgeon did all the surgery. Ideas have changed. Back then I think it was only tummy or back LD with implant that was used to reconstruct.
@susynight thank you very much for sharing. i do now feel more hopeful with radiotherapy on implants. Hope your redness and swelling have settled. Who was your plastic surgeon back then if you don’t mind me asking?
And is the LD tissue still in place this time round for your new implant post radiotherapy?
Wishing you a restful Christmas
Hi yes I think all the LD muscle is still in place. They only removed skin and fat necrosis which is where the cancer was.
My Surgeon was called Mr Simon Knight at Leeds Teaching hospitals @ Jimmys back then. He was fantastic and the results were amazing. He’s retired now i believe but he may still work bank or privately You can look him up.
The other Onco plastic breast surgeon I saw over the years is Mr Philip Turton, also retired from NHS but he has a private practice now. He’s got a Website I believe.
My redness is calming down now and luckily I’ e kept the shape so far! 
Good luck with your decision xx
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