Can someone tell me how long I have to wait between surgery and radiotherapy before it is outside the guidelines? I had to delay because of a seroma and had my planning two days ago and now they are telling me I have to wait three more weeks due to the bank holidays coming up! I just want to get it over and done with and worry about little cells still lurking. I have been advised not to have chemo. Thanks
I think the guidelines say 31 days after they decide you are " fit to treat " i.e. healed enough from surgery.I had my surgery on the 18th June started radiotherapy on 21st August - that felt like a long time but I was told it was fine. All guidelines seem to have to be stretched at the moment which is very hard for anyone worrying and waiting .x
Hi Rosie
The ideal is 4 weeks/31 days between identifying the need and commencing radiotherapy. But there are several factors to take in to consideration, your health being one of them. Mine was delayed as I’d had such a rough ride with chemo and I needed to build up some inner resources!
I am certain your team would not put you at risk when making this decision and may have decided that the ideal (3 x 5 consecutive doses) is better for you than an interrupted delivery of radiotherapy. Perhaps they have a backlog of patients owing to the pandemic. Personally I would ring and ask to speak to your breast care nurse at the least, put forward your concerns and see what they have to say. It seems a long wait if you’ve already waited because of a seroma. Having said that, it was 7 months between my surgery and radiotherapy. Congratulations on not needing to have chemo.
Better still, the radiotherapy department will have a breast care nurse (I found mine much more easy to get hold of by phone) so why not ring the department direct and ask someone who knows? Best of luck x
Hi Rosie
I was in a similar position, though had 2 lots of surgery, one mid Feb and one mid March (mx then ANC). Following mid March surgery got (another) seroma which started to leak and so rads were delayed. I was told by rads doc that up to 8 weeks post surgery is fine and my rads started 7 weeks post last surgery - following cessation of leaky seroma!
Good luck
Sam