Hi All, I’ve just been told that my scheduled radiotherapy post lumpectomy is to be reduced from 15 sessions to 5 as trials have shown that the outcome is as good. Apparently this is being rolled out nationally, it’s interesting that my hospital have decided to do this now. They said they were just in the ‘habit’ of doing 15 but in view of Covid 19 it’s best to implement it now to reduce infection risk.
Also a friend who is in the same BC boat has turned down radiotherapy as they can’t guarantee there will be staff available for her to complete the course…and if you have some radiotherapy and don’t complete the course it means you can’t have it again in that place at a later date. Is that so?
Hopefully this may make you feel better, after my lumpectomy in November…radiotherapy was delayed due to my op, I started in February when I had my consultant with the surgeon he was telling me in 5 years time they won’t be doing radiotherapy and more, because things would be moving forward…feeling this is the start
reduction to 5 sessions- was wondering if the dosage is the same ? Hope your treatment goes well.
GOOD LUCK, keep well and safe in this crazy world. Hugs Tili
I had my surgery in Jan and had my planning session for radiotherapy yesterday.
I had originally been told that It would be 15 days but when I saw my consultant two weeks ago he told me it would be 5.
He stated that it is a new development that has been proven to be effective and is in the process of being rolled out across trusts.
It didn’t even cross my mind that it coincided with the COVID crisis! Was just pleased I didn’t have to travel to the hospital every day for three weeks!!
In my mind, the cancer has gone, this is just belt and braces! I feel the drug regime will be more effective at reducing risk of a return!
My consultant is very dead pan and of few words but the radiographers were fab at my planning session, so I intend to ask a few more questions at my ore meeting prior to my first session.
Hi, I had my risks & sign your life away meeting with doc yesterday re rads and was already aware this could be the case. You get higher doses each day but overall a lower lots of rads on the 1 wk vs 3 wk schedule with similar side effects.
I insisted (and my doc begrudgingly agreed) to have the 3 wks however there is obviously a higher risk of things going awry currently and if that happens a higher risk of the cancer coming back.
So if anyone wants their money’s worth - challenge them!
I am having radiotherapy, I have gone from having 4 weeks to having a higher dose over 5 days. I am due to start in 10 days time I wondered if anyone has any idea how much time I would have to have off work
I can only say what happened to me just finished my 3 weeks of radiotherapy was not told it would be reduced to a week and would have objected if it had been. recently had chemo and they tried to reduce that but told them i wasn’t happy and had the full course of treatment. i have heard that it is a new course of treatment and proved that it is just as successful 1 week instead of three, just found this very suspicious it coming now we have covid