I have just seen my OC and have been told that I will be going for 4 weeks of rads. I was fine with this untill he told me that because of my age (34) I could land up with another type of cancer i.e. lung cancer in the future caused by the rads. He did say that the benifits outwayed the downsides, but to me, Lung cancer is a big deal. I feel as though I would be better off getting breast cancer again. Has anyone else been told this and does anyone know what the chances of this happening are? Im really worried now!
I’ve never heard of RT causing cancer. I know i was warned that Chemo increases the chance of leukemia. I was told, afterwards, that RT decreases your lung function to 80% but that this wasn’t enough to be noticed.
Because I already had asthma rads has made me me more liable to cough whwnever I have a cold but I wasnt told it could cause lung cancer.Having said that dont we already know that radiation can cause cancer so surely the dose is carefully adjusted and targetted.
My onc told me that the reason the rads planning is so carefully and time consumingly done is so that it does NOT cause lung cancer! It is targetted exactly to where it needs to go. Many years ago it was not possible to target in this way (without CT scan) and I think some people did receive permanent damage to their lungs, but that doesn’t happen now if done by experts. I had 5 weeks of rads and didn’t have any ill effects at the time or since. You do have to sign a form where they have to outline any possible side effects, but that’s just standard practice.
I was very interested recently in the changes in rads planning. I only went for palliative rads to my hip and spine but this was done with CT assisted planning. Therefore the degree of accuracy is so much greater. When I was first diagnosed and had rads back 1990 and again in 1999 when i had further rads after mastectomy i had 35 rads sessions each time and yes I have lung damage from both. This shows up whenever I have chest x-rays and whereas in the early days they would say they ‘think’ it is rads damage - now they are sure it is because it doesn’t change. I have never noticed a change in my lung function though.
A question to those of you have rads for primaries - do they use CT in the planning at your hospital?
Hello Dawn. Yes - when I had rads last year they used CT in the planning session.
I was very impressed with the planning session and also with each rads session. The staff always appeared to be absolutely meticulous and to take measurements with great precision.
Angela - I had 18 rads last year and have noticed no ill effects on my lung function.
I had 25 sessions of rads, plus 2 boosters for primary idc and associated DCIS. I had a CT scan after my surgeries and whilst undergoing chemo, but I don’t recollect a CT scan at the rads planning session, which took over an hour. As far as I remember, (it was in Oct/Nov 2003), no-one said anything about rads causing lung cancer or decreased lung function. I have had no side effects to my lungs at all, even though I smoke - although that is going to change soon as I am going into hospital for TPN tube feeding, 7 days, then resection of 25 cm of my small intestine, 10 days, and figure this will get me smoke-free. My husband is thrilled as he stopped some 11 yrs ago because of peripheral vascular disease and neuropathy, caused by smoking.
Hopefully someone with more scientific knowledge will come along (JaneRA, Christine MH?) and give us some stats.
Thanks for your repliies, my OC told me about the lung cancer and said its a side effect that could happen many years after the treatment, He said its not usually as big an issue for older patients, but because I could live for over 30 years then it could raise its ugly head then. To me this seems like a huge side effect and im not sure if its something I want to go through. I think I would rather deal with another case of Breast Cancer than Lung Cancer. Like having this desease once isnt bad enoough! Oh Well… I may have a lot of questions when I go for the treatment. Im having treatment at the Beatson in Glasgow, Im pretty sure they use a ct in the planning.
I seem to remember the kind of cancer you get from rads is sarcoma, I have met someone who had it and has survived it - she was at a Breakthrough Breast Cancer event.
I thought all BC specialist centres use CT scans as part of the rads planning. I certainly had it at Maidstone, not only is it extremely accurate it also makes the planning much quicker - I was back in the car park 45 mins after my appt.
Doctors now are under pressure to give patients what they call “informed choice” for consent to treatment. This means that strictly speaking, they have to point out every single side effect, regardless of how small. The chances of you getting lung cancer with radiotherapy is absolutely minimal and the benefits of treatment far outweigh any side effects. Most experienced doctors are able to explain treatment to patients without scaring them silly with the side effects that are so rare, they are not likely to happen. Its exactly the same when you get prescribed a drug - if you look at all the side effects that are possible, you would never take anything ever again. I would bet that your onc is quite young and acting strictly to guidelines.
Hi Angela. How odd to read this today as I am due to start radiotherapy in February and I have been having exactly the same thoughts. My onc also told me about this lung cancer risk in 30 years. Just to cheer you up even more, he also said there was an increased chance of ovarian cancer. At the time I thought I’ll be lucky to survive another 30 years so it was worth the risk but, like you, I now think I would rather deal with another bout of breast cancer than lung. I’m going to research this further and consider the options. Ultimately the decision is ours and we have to handle any fallout from that decision but it’s not easy.
I was due to start radio last November after 6 cycles of FEC+TAX. Radio was given as a “throwing-everything-at-me thing”.
After discussion with Onc and some research I gave up radio. The effects (heart and lungs) can show up immediately or 5, 10, 20 30, years after and my affected side was the left and I would need radio on the chest wall. That’s why stats of breast cancer are so unreliable as people end up dying from heart or lung disease… or whatever.
In my case, only 2 nodes involved, it was not significant as it is relevant only when 3 or more nodes are infected.
If things get worst I can have it at a later date, or not…
Can you let me know anything you find out, I dont know when Im going to see the OC again, seems like I have been forgotten obout at the mo, I wil do the same.
Gardenia
I had 2 out of 20 lymph nodes involved but my BC is on the right side. I didnt know that its only relevent if there are 3 or more nodes involved. Relly time for me to chase up the BC nurses, I havent heared from them since I started Chemo and Im on my last course at the mo.
Im due to go for planning tomorrow for my radiotherapy ( left side boob) just have this massive ‘niggle’ that it will cause more harm than good … but you have to trust the experts I guess…
I was told that it can cause Fibrosis (hardening) of the lung and also the heart, if treatment happens to be on the left but nothing about further cancer.
I’m now starting to get a little concerned about radiotherapy. I’m on the last bout of chemo on Monday and then told it was RT and hormone therapy. So with RT in the not so distant future…should I really consider not having it. My tumour was ‘small’ or so the docs said. Think the docs took about 2cm away including clear margin and no node involvement after SNB and a few nodes on first ‘layer’. So considering this and it was my left boob., do I really need it especially with the potential SE that it could cause?
talk about trying not to get stressed… every step is stressful.