I am wondering if anyone has noticed a change in their breast(s) after having radiation to their chests.
I've noticed that my left side seems much smaller now. There was always a small difference between the two but it seems more pronounced. My tumor was on the left side. There is also a lump on the inner part. Based on the markers they tattooed on me the area where the lump is was targeted during treatment.
I've had a couple of mammograms and they've said they can't find anything even though its very noticeable when I'm laying on my back, so I'm wondering if this is just another of the side effects of the radiation.
Has anyone else had this type of long term side effect?

_________________
**********
Dx Limited Stage SCLC Nov 2002
6 rounds of chemo cisplat & etoposide
2 rounds of chest radiation 4 weeks each, 1 week of PCI.
Testing for possible Bone Mets Oct 2003- looks clear
PET Scan 10/15/03 found suspicous hot spot found in lower left abdomen. Pelvic CT Scan 10/27/03 confirmed large ovarian mass
Scheduled for hysterectomy 12-15-03.
12-15-03 confirmed mets to ovary.
Will start getting Cisplatin & Irinotecan for 4 (changed to 6) months on Jan 9, 2004.
CT Scan of chest-abdomen-pelvis on 4-28-04 came back clean!!
CT of brain set for 5-10-04
NED: all scans clean; chemo finished 6-18-04.
CT Scan Sept - 2004 NED
CT Scan Dec - 2004 NED
CT Scan June - 2005 NED
Still going strong - 2012

Not me personally but a woman in my in-person LC support group has LC in her 40s and radiation to her chest area. She talked about those changes in her chest area and long term effects of the radiation she suffered. She is in her late 60s now and developed breast cancer (to both breasts) two years ago, and thyroid cancer this year. She is a never smoker and believes her cancers were a result of the radiation.

I'm not writing this to scare anyone... you know your bodies better than anyone else. Just be vigilent if you feel any changes or notice something that shouldn't be there.

Gail talks about having survived many cancers because the "others" have early detection opposed to the LC she survived.

And I hope hope HOPE one day the treatment for cancers will be targeted so that the after effects won't be almost as toxic and harmful as the disease itself.

Please keep us posted and oh my goodness it is so good to see you back here!!!!!!

_________________
- Katie Brown, Co-Founder and Director of LCSC-

15 yr cancer survivor.

"Any of us who have experienced the cancer journey- and survived it-
have an obligation to make the path clearer and aid those that come after us."
- Lance Armstrong

In memory of Jessee Dewey, SCLC
December 29, 1938 - September 6, 2003
Lisa Dewey- Jan. 22, 2007
my parents are together in heaven


facebook www.facebook.com/lungevity

Thank you for the response as well as the welcome back.
I am 10 years passed diagnosis this November and I'm still dealing with all the little "gifts" cancer left me with and it seemed like just when I'd gotten used to them the new thing with my breast popped up.

_________________
**********
Dx Limited Stage SCLC Nov 2002
6 rounds of chemo cisplat & etoposide
2 rounds of chest radiation 4 weeks each, 1 week of PCI.
Testing for possible Bone Mets Oct 2003- looks clear
PET Scan 10/15/03 found suspicous hot spot found in lower left abdomen. Pelvic CT Scan 10/27/03 confirmed large ovarian mass
Scheduled for hysterectomy 12-15-03.
12-15-03 confirmed mets to ovary.
Will start getting Cisplatin & Irinotecan for 4 (changed to 6) months on Jan 9, 2004.
CT Scan of chest-abdomen-pelvis on 4-28-04 came back clean!!
CT of brain set for 5-10-04
NED: all scans clean; chemo finished 6-18-04.
CT Scan Sept - 2004 NED
CT Scan Dec - 2004 NED
CT Scan June - 2005 NED
Still going strong - 2012

I am SOOOO glad to hear from you!!!! I've thought about you for years and have thought the worst! I have the same issue. Not sure if it's due to radiation, but who knows. I am just over the moon to see you post, Kathy. Let's keep in touch!

Kasey

_________________
Kasey ~ 8 year survivor ~ Stage IIIb 'inoperable' (yea, right!) lung cancer
9/20/04 Dx lc
9/24/04 Bronchoscopy
10/08/04 CT guided needle biopsy
10/14/04 Dx Pancoast tumor - NSCLC 111a(?) - inoperable - incurable
11/02/04 2nd opinion - Sloan-Kettering - concurs with local dx and tx
11/03/04-12/02/04 Radiation x22 chemo x5 taxol/carboplatin
11/04 - 3rd opinion - FoxChase -turned away
11/04 FOUND LCSC & HOPE
11/04 4th opinion NIH - surgery possible
1/04/05 Successful surgery - RU lobectomy - all margins, nodes, and path reports are NEGATIVE
2/05 chemo x2 taxol/carboplatin
3/05 Esophagus stretched twice
4/06/05 bloodwork, chest x-ray, CT scan, PET scan, NED
5/05 2 more esophagus stretches
7/13/05 bloodwork, chest x-ray, CT scan, PET scan, brain MRI, NED
10/05/05 bloodwork, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, NED
1/11/06 bloodwork, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, brain MRI, NED
4/05/06 bloodwork, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, NED
6/10/06 emergency appendectomy
7/12/06 bloodwork, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, brain MRI, NED
9/26/06 bloodwork, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, NED
1/10/07 bloodwork, urinalysis, chest x-ray, CT, PET/CT scan, arm CT, brain MRI, NED
7/11/07 bloodwork, urinalysis, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, brain MRI, NED
1/9/08 bloodwork, urinalysis, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, brain MRI, CT w/contrast.....mm 'spot' lower right lobe - watch and wait 3 months
4/8/08 bloodwork, urinalysis, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, NED
10/14/08 bloodwork, urinaysis, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, brain MRI, NED
4/15/09 bloodwork, urinalysis, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, brain MRI, NED
10/13/09 bloodwork, urinalysis, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, brain MRI, CT/contrast, NED
4/13-4/15/10 bloodwork, urinalysis, chest x-ray, PET/CT scan, brain MRI, CT/contrast, PFT, echocardiogram, EKG, stress test, NED
4/11-4/13/2011 bloodwork, urinalysis, chest x-ray, PET scan, CT scan w/contrast, brain MRI, NED
4/16-4/18/2012 bloodwork, urinalysis, chest x-ray, PET scan, CT scan w/contrast, brain MRI, NED