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Why did you refuse Radiation?

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Comments

  • Kelhab
    Kelhab Member Posts: 7
    edited November 2021

    i know this post is old but i was wondering how you found out about your recurrence risk without radiation was 8%. I feel like they dont know how to figure that part out. Thx

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 5,289
    edited November 2021

    kelhab,

    The op has not signed into bco for over 10 years so it is unlikely that she will respond. Have you used the search function to see if there are more current threads on the topic?

  • jerseygirl1215
    jerseygirl1215 Member Posts: 2
    • I'm new to this forum. Diagnosed in July 2023 with Stage 1 grade 2 IDC HER+ right breast. Surgery was delayed when it was found that I had a low blood platelet issue during pre op bloodwork.
    • Finally got a lumpectomy in January for a 1.3cm tumor but had to return 2 weeks later for reexcision because the BS did not get a clean superior margin. Clean on the 2nd surgery. Lymph node negative. Right now dealing with delayed wound healing due to being on steroids to get my platelets up a 2nd time in 2 weeks for surgery and on an antibiotic.
    • Thankfully I have a low Onc score of 17. My risk of recurrence is low according to the radiation oncologist- 7.3% if I do nothing further, 2.2 % if just radiation, 5.3 % if no radiation and just keep taking Anastrazole which I've been on since August and tolerating well or 1.6 % if I do radiation and Anastrazole. I'm struggling to decide whether to skip radiation or do the accelerated partial breast radiation which is every other day for 5 days. I'm very worried about the potential side effects. I'm 71 and hope to be around and active for as long as possible so the lower the risk of recurrence, the better but are the benefits worth the risks given the low percentage if I just continue with Anastrazole and forego radiation? Hopefully I won't develop problems with Anastrazole as time goes on.

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  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,633

    @jerseygirl1215 Indeed a very difficult decision to make. There are many things you need to weigh - the risks are there, but so is the potential value. We always support getting a second professional opinion if you are on the fence about a treatment. Sometimes this can help to sway you in one direction or another.

    Hopefully more chime in here!
    We're here for you!

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