No radiotherapy, just hormone therapy

[Bakeoffadict]

Hi all,

this sounds similar to my experience, I had a mastectomy and lymph node removal last year, then went straight on to hormone therapy. My lymph nodes were clear and that was the reason for not having radiotherapy. I have Leuprorelin injections once a month and anastrozole injections daily. I am also taking calcium tablets every day and alendronic acid every week to help with osteopenia. I also have a family history of BC on my dad's side. His mum and my cousin both died at the age of 46 from BC, my consultant was keen for me to have genetics testing but I was turned down for the NHS testing because my cancer was globular rather than ductal. Apparently that makes the genetic risk very low. I was happy to leave it at that (and I can't afford to pay for genetics testing.) The anastrozole is giving some joint pain and insomnia which is, apparently very common, but I'm hoping this will get easier with time. My oncologist says there are other hormone therapy drugs which will do the same job if I decide I need to change. 

I had my reconstruction at the end of Feb this year, it took a while as I had an infection last year and had to have tissue expander s replaced. Anyway, the end result is good and, with clothes on, you wouldn't guess that anything had happened. 

I hope everything works out well for you.

[Susie1956]

Hi Ladyleftfield,

i decided to have a mastectomy for a number of reasons, good stable relationship and excellent support from my husband, I am large busted 36H, a lumpectomy would have left me uneven and I would probably still had to have a partial prostheses, I am also overweight and now having BC diagnoses has brought into focus the need to loose weight, if I'd had reconstruction, it would probably have needed another operation later, and most importantly I wanted to make sure all the cancer had gone in one operation and not to have to go through it all again.

2 months later with my permanent prosthesis I am very happy with the result, when dressed no one would know the difference.

I hope all goes well for you, everyone is different and you must make the best decision for yourself and your circumstances.

[Rj7777]

Hi Lady Leftfield

I was interested in reading your thread as my tumour was about the same size as yours with no Lymph node spread and I did have raiotherapy, but I often wondered how much point there was in having it when all the cancer was all removed surgically.  Anyway its been and gone now and like you am on hormane treatment (Tamoxifen).

I just wanted to say as well that on my Dads side of the family my great-grandmother had BC and so did my cousin about ten years ago, I always thought the genetic link was on the maternal side so that is interesting they are doing a study on that.

Rebecca

[ladyleftfield]

Hi Susie

What made you decide to have a mastectomy? If my family history blood tests are dreadful, I assume I will be offered a mastectomy or two, but I would consider it very carefully.
I think my oncologist realised that if I had radiotherapy and then bad test results, the radiotherapy would not have been needed. As she said, the tumour was very tiny, hadn't spread and the lymph nodes were clear.

[Susie1956]

Hi Ladyleftfield,

Although I had different treatment and a larger Invasive lump, I too have not had to have radiotherapy and have gone straight onto anastrozole hormone tablets.

I opted for a mastectomy, my lymph nodes were clear. I also had an ONCdx test which scored 9 meaning a lower risk of reoccurrence.

Maybe the lack of radiation treatment is due to the clear nodes?

Everyones experiences seem to be different, we just have to put our trust in the specialists.

I hope your gene tests are ok, but if not at least you'll know.

All the best

Susie

[Jill1998]

Quite a complex situation then.I guess there is nothing more that you can do until results of gene test .I hadn't heard about that trial but it's interesting to know they are looking at it.Sorry you are in limbo .The majority of women with invasive cancer are just offered radiotherapy routinely normally .

[ladyleftfield]

I was diagnosed with 'invasive ductal carcinoma'.  The sentinel nodes were removed and found to be negative and the cancer had not spread.  Initially, I was being considered for the research trial 'Primetime' - I am the right age and the cancer was tiny.  This trial is for women like me and we would not have radiotherapy, but still have hormone therapy and mamograms annually for 10 years.  However, the oncologist last week said the genetics people were interested, as my history showed my grandmother, aunt and cousin (all on my father's side of the family) had suffered from breast cancer.  So, I agreed to have the tests to see if I had a faulty gene!  In the meantime, it was agreed that I would not go on the Primetime trial and not have radiotherapy either.  The blood test results are due in a few weeks and I am seeing the oconologist in early September.  In the meantime I am on hormone therapy, having a bone scan next week and taking cancium and vitamin D supplements.

[Jill1998]

Hi ,did you have invasive cancer or DCIS ? What reasons did they give for not giving you radiotherapy

[ladyleftfield]

After an operation to remove a lump and lymph nodes in June this year,  I was initially told that I would have radiotheraphy for 3 weeks and then it was decided that I should not have it all, just five years of hormone therapy - anastrozole.  The tumour was only 9 mm and it hadn't spread.  Is anyone else in my position?  I am having a bone scan next week to check for the likelihood of osteoporosis, but in the meantime I am taking calcium and vitamin d supplements.