A Quick Radiation Update

Scott and I met with the radiation oncologist today. He was awesome. 

We conversed. We laughed. I cried ... twice.

Once again, there is a lot to report, but the short version is this:

• Radiation is the standard treatment for a recurrence of breast cancer. 
• If we do radiation, he recommends 25 sessions, plus a 5 session boost at the end. 
• If we do radiation, the sessions would be 5 days a week for 6 weeks.
• If we do radiation, we would start this summer, because of timing. It takes 1-2 weeks for the mapping/planning phase and you can't have any breaks in treatment. We have a vacation planned for June, so the planning would happen before the trip and the treatments would start as soon as we get back. 
• If we do radiation, I can expect to be tired, sore, maybe swollen, feel sunburned, maybe blister, probably have skin discoloration across my chest, into my armpit, and up on my neck. Also, about 30% of the patients have constricting around the implant that would require surgery.
• Because of the lupus, all of these side effects, particularly the blistering and the likelihood of surgery, are increased.
• Because my cancer in 2010 was a stage 1 and the cancer this time is a stage 1, the need for radiation isn't so clear. Both times it was a small, slow-growing, early discovered tumor. 
• Because I was so young with my first cancer, this indicates that radiation could be important.
• Because I'm still young now, this indicates that radiation could have late-developing side effects many years down the road and should be avoided. 

So, it's all debatable. It's ultimately up to me, but the doctor said there is both a good reason to do radiation and good rationale for skipping it. 

I'm VERY uncomfortable with doing nothing. As much as I'm unhappy about the potential side-effects of both radiation and chemotherapy, I feel like doing neither will leave me incessantly anxious, waiting for the cancer to return. 

As a result, today's doctor put in a request for the Mayo Clinic to review my case. They will look at both the pathology from 2010 as well as that from 2022. They will look at the oncotyping of both tumors. And, since it was at the Mayo Clinic that the initial lupus diagnosis was made, they will be able to review all of that lab work, as well. Within the next few weeks, we should hear back from them.

In the mean time, he also got me in to see a different medical oncologist. I explained my displeasure about Wednesday's visit and he just took care of it. So, that gives me relief. 

I wish that I knew what lies ahead, but at least now we have a partial plan for a DEXA scan, genetic counseling, another medical oncologist, and oncotype dx testing. Oh, and we picked up my prescription for the oral chemotherapy drug, too. 

So, that's my Friday.