Hiya, I'm sure I've read a medical study that giving 5days radiation is better outcome than over 15days.  Will see if I can find it.

thanks for your reply Efffie - that would be great. 

Hi [@Well13]‍ I had the 5 day radiotherapy treatment which is often used for early stage breast cancer. Slightly larger dose over a shorter time frame and less hassle in going to hospital for days on end. I found it very doable and didn't feel tired. My skin was a bit tingly after the first session but otherwise I felt pretty good. Mine was left sided so I had to do the deep breath technique but they showed me what to do. Not needed if treatment on right hand side.

It is a personal choice but I wanted to take what was on offer to give myself best chance of reducing recurrence. I heard it described once as surgery is like picking up the broken pieces of glass if you drop something on the kitchen floor and radiotherapy is like sweeping the floor to make sure you get the tiny bits of glass you can't readily see.

Good luck in deciding what is right for you xx

Thank you Kiwirunner for sharing your exxperience - it is so difficult isn't it.  Did your team offer much advice about your particular type of grade or DCIS type BC that guided you or did anything in particualr help you decide. 

Hi [@Well13]‍ 

sorry for delay in replying; it has been a super busy week at work.

I had a very small cancer. A rare form of breast cancer called Tubular Carcinoma (only about 2% of cases of breast cancer). That was Grade 1 and tiny at 3mm. It had 5mm of Grade 2 DCIS next to it. So overall it was really small and they had good margins around the edge. For me it was recommended. I talked over the side effects and risk of recurrence with my consultant radiologist who I really trusted and I never felt pushed. Her clinical recommendation in my case was it would be good to do. Because I was very fit as a runner she said I was less likely to be fatigued and it was  true that I didn't have any tiredness during or after treatment.  My breast has not changed in any way but I know in some cases it can shrink or change colour which I found very daunting! It is just very hard to predict who will sail through like me and who won't.

Many years ago I did a life sciences degree so I did spend time reading lots of papers about radiotherapy and risk reduction and on balance I felt it was right for me.  I can't recall the specific figures but for sake of argument if a paper said a 10% chance of recurrence without it and 5% with radiotherapy then although that seems a 5% difference it is actually a halving of recurrence risk so that resonated for me. I have to caveat it though by saying I can't recall the specific figures here.

If you google Fast Forward Trial that will give you the background to the shift to a five day plan for early breast cancers like us that was run across the NHS.

My mindset was, if clinically it was recommended, then I wanted belts and braces to know I had done all I could at the time.

It is a deeply personal decision but I know that is not much help!

I hope you can reach a decision that works for you.

xx

thank you Kiwirunner - i have scheduled another meeting to dicuss the stats etc :) thank you for sharing your experirence.