Hi, I wonder if I can get some advice.
I had two lumpectomys with the second one to get a clearer margin. This has now been confirmed as being clear with no cancer remaining. My IDC was stage 1 grade 2.
My next treatment is radiotherapy but this is not scheduled to start until after February 15. My last op was December 17th. Isn’t this too long a gap for the radiotherapy to be successful?
My oncotype score came back 15. Has anyone refused radiotherapy with such a low score?
Would love to hear your experience.
Xxxx
Hi Getorade, sounds like you’re making great progress. My op was October, rads started mid December, and I was reassured the treatment window was fine. The radiotherapist said guidelines is 1 month after the op, but up to 3 months is fine, and longer if chemo has to be done first. Many people have delays due to recovery from surgery. I was delayed because my oncotype had to be repeated. I also asked can I avoid rads because of a low oncotype score and they said no. Radiotherapy prevents a local recurrence by zapping any cells left behind. Rads is standard if you have a lumpectomy or if nodes are affected. Oncotype score is about how likely or not the original cancer could spread to a new part of the body, eg bones, known as distant recurrence. So it’s good you have a low score but, like me, it doesn’t get you off being recommended rads! After the initial weirdness of it, I got used to radiotherapy quickly and so long as you use the cream you’ll be given from the start and drink more water you should be fine. I think it’s quite hard waiting for it all to begin but now you have a date at least you can plan ahead a bit now and know when it all finishes. Do put all your questions to your nurse /radiotherapist, it’s the only way to get individual answers. I found they were always keen to help me understand the choices. All the best
I had ops Jan and April 2018, chemo June to October 18 and am only just now having radiotherapy (started 7/1). 1st time I had cancer I had op 13/1 and radiotherapy started mI’d April so a three month gap there also. (The cancer I had then didn’t come back, I was lucky and got a completely new and different sort).
2 months doesn’t seem that long to me especially as you have to be completed healed before they do it and some people take longer than others.
Thanks so much for your responses. I guess I should not panic and just wait for it to begin. You have both put my mind at ease. Xxx