Hey Lotaz, 

Welcome to Cancer Chat.

That's great news about your margins being clear although I can understand why you may have some doubts or reservations about the follow up radiotherapy.

Hopefully some of our members who were offered radiotherapy as part of their treatment for DCIS will be along soon to share their experiences and advice but in the meantime if you'd like to have a chat about this with one of our cancer nurses then you're welcome to get in touch with them on 0808 800 4040, Monday - Friday between 9a.m - 5p.m.

I hope it's isn't long until your appointment comes through and you can get some answers.

Good luck with the next part of your treatment Lotaz.

Kind regards,

Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi Lotaz,

I know your post was from end of last year but just wanted to check and see how your radiotherapy went, if indeed it went ahead.

I had high grade DCIS but am only having one week of Radiotherapy. I wonder why it's so different! Are you in the UK? If so, whereabouts.

I hope you are doing well :-)

Hi PositiveT

Thanks for following up on this and I'm in the Cambridge area.

I did have radiotherapy in the end but just the one week as you've been advised. It seems to be the standard now.

It went fine, a bit odd and the breath holding was a little stressful but I got used to it very quickly. I was surprised at how tired it made me feel though in the weeks after. More than that it affected me emotionally quite a lot. I mean you have surgery for many things and I'd kept myself so busy throughout the diagnosis and lumpectomy so didn't give myself time to really acknowledge what was happening. But when I had the radiotherapy, you only really have that for cancer and the realisation hit me. I ended up being off work for 7 weeks in total.

Physically, it was painless and I had no local soreness or blistering, just slightly red and a tad swollen each evening.

I have a follow up appointment next week with the surgeon actually and I'm glad as I do have pain when I try and raise my arm on the affected side above my head and can't straighten it. It feels muscular, like I might have pulled it at the gym, but I don't recall any incident and it's been there for about 6 weeks now.

Sending all my best for your treatment xx

Thank you for your reply! It's reassuring that five seems to be typical. Glad to hear the radiotherapy wasn't too bad. I agree that the holding my breath thing is my main concern but had plenty of practice at my planning appointment so am sure it will be fine! They know what they're doing!

Good luck with your follow up appointment. Fingers crossed the pain is a pulled muscle .

Take care and thank you x