It sounds like you have come to a decision and I’m glad that you are doing well on the Anastrozole . Xx
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Not quite yet. I spoke with my MO yesterday and she strongly recommends radiation to reduce the risk of recurrence as much as possible. She scared me when she mentioned it could come back in the bones or elsewhere in the body and be stage 4. I may speak again with my RO and consider doing the accelerated partial breast radiation.
There are other threads on radiotherapy here if you want to search for them to know what to expect or maybe contact the helpline and talk it through with the Nurses if you want a more objective professional opinion . There can be problems certainly but a lot of people have said there have been no lasting issues and the dose has lowered along with the number of treatments over the years due to research findings . Xx
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Yes, Ive been reading everything as much as I can. I just spoke with someone my Nurse Navigator connected me with who completed the accelerated partial radiation and had minimal side effects. It was helpful to hear from someone who has been through it and I’m feeling a little better about doing it.
One correction in my BC status- it is HER2- ER and PR+
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I thought the status must be incorrect as Anastrozole only works for ER / PR+ and HER2 + would be a completely different pathway. I can’t say that the radiotherapy is entirely risk free - it isn’t but it is effective and they are researching and refining the protocols all the time . I was told that it cardies on working in the body for up to 6 years .My friend who had hers about 10 years ago was given 40 gy over 15 days . I had 29 gy over 5 days which could have been consecutive days but there was a weekend in the middle and they treated my whole breast . It sounds as though they have refined the protocol again since I had mine which was just under 2 years ago.
Whatever you decide I hope your wound heals quickly and if you haven’t had a DEXA scan yet you need to remind them about that . Xx
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Thank you. I had a Dexa Scan last year and it showed osteopenia which Ive had for some time. I’m afraid to see what it will show after being on Anastrazole
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I have a similar presentation to those being discussed. Not HER+ but an early, grade 2, ER+ bc. After surgery I was advised to have radiotherapy which was a 5 day programme. I found it fine and with minimal side effects - the ‘flamagel’ cream given by the hospital was very effective. Obviously I don’t know about longer term side effects but so far, so good. I am taking Letrozole which again I’m tolerating quite well though I think it may be responsible for the fatigue I have. I am worried about osteoporosis too - I also have osteopenia but this has been the case since the menopause and has not worsened. I am doing a lot of weight bearing exercise to fend off osteoporosis - advice sheets and videos at the Royal Osteoporosis Society are very helpful as is a personal trainer.
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p.s. I’m 63 - 62 at time of surgery etc - and the oncologist said if I was a bit older they may have said the radiotherapy wasn’t necessary, so this seems in line with what people are saying.
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Hi cosmos1, All this BC stuff is so confusing, I am 76 & had 5 sessions of radiotherapy, wasn’t given a choice really & prescribed Tamoxifen, which I am not taking. I had an itchy rash & skin burn a couple of weeks after radiotherapy, but it has cleared & I feel fine now apart from occasional bouts of fatigue.
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I would do it! I had DCIS (had Mx and tamoxifen) and it came back! You don’t want to have regrets these cells are so minute give it all you can now!
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I had IDC ER+PR+HER2- 13 years ago. I had a lumpectomy, chemo and then 33 zaps of rads. I thought by giving it everything I would be good to go. I was 46 and now I will be 60 next month. It’s back. They gave it the best treatment they knew back at that time, but if it was today I wouldn’t have been given chemo. I don’t know what I am looking at for treatment now other than my oncologist putting me on Arimidex immediately.
He wants every scan possible before moving me to the next steps. MRI, CT and Bone Scan is done and all was clear except some nodes in my abdomen so now there is a PET scan on Monday. I just want this over with already.
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Dear Rockym
So pleased to read your treatment has been first class, wishing you all the very best for next Monday everything crossed for you.
Lots of love Tili 
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Hi @Jobey68 - your story is very, very similar to mine, except I’m only just 40, diagnosed in August when I was still 39. Grade 1 Pure Tubular 7mm IDC, and some DCIS in the lump when removed, clear margins and nodes. I’m on the Tamoxifen (so far, so good!) & have been given a less than (although since tubular is rarer, no can say how much less than!) 15% chance of recurrence. Debating radiotherapy as I am really scared of a bad outcome like really awful fibrosis or things looking really different to how they do now (I feel like I’m totally fine after surgery and don’t want this to be the decision I regret!). I too want to be here when I’m 96 - but I still want to be as happy with me! Your story really gives me hope that you have no ill effects from the radiotherapy - they have offered me five sessions, with or without a boost, it’s up to me. I feel like if I do have it, maybe without the boost to try and mitigate some risk of the worst side effects!
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