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Breast Cancer/radiation and mastectomy

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Expert: - 5/5/2008


Question
Had right mastectomy in Dec.Two tumors 2.1 total size. Pathologist found minimal sized cancer in sentinel node.No other node involvement(out of 15).Had close margins of 1cm. Finished chemo 2 months ago (in March).Tissue expander inserted during mastectomy now fully expanded.Am advised to get radiation since margins were close.Why is radiation necessary if surgery took the breast tissue?Didn't the chemo kill all the cancer cells that might have remained?And since chemo finished 2 months ago, isn't it late for radiation? How do I know that radiation is going to work if supposedly the chemo didn't kill everything? I'm confused.

Answer
Neither chemo therapy alone nor radiation therapy alone can guarantee a complete kill off of all cancer cells - nor a combination of them. BUT a combination does have better chances of doing so! So were I in your shoes I would accept the radiation therapy straight away! I would have administered the radiation therapy first and the chemo therapy later, but that is just details. No one can guarantee success in a cancer case like this but this is your best chance! Though I agree the therapy should have - if possible - been given earlier. But better late than never. Good luck!

Breast Cancer

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Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D.

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I`m a doctor of medicine and a specialist in radiation therapy and medical oncology. I have long experience in diagnostics and treatment of breast tumours.

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I'm a Doctor of Medicine and specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiation Therapy educated & trained in Sweden. Now retired. Background in Radiation Therapy, Medical Oncology, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Gynecological Oncology, Clinical Pathology, Clinical Cytology,Hematology and Internal Medicine. M.D. from the faculty of medicine, Royal Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Have also been an exchange student at the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem Israel. Former medical consultant, Swedish National Board of Radiation Protection. Former Police Surgeon and Medical Examiner, Stockholm Police Department. Former Chief Medical Officer, The Royal Guards, The Royal Horse Guards and the Royal Household Brigade, Royal Swedish Army Medical Corps.You can also reach me on: http://www.lifestylerescue.com/expert/health-fitness-advice/dr-claes-gustaf/128 I have no restrictions on the number of questions there.

I also answer questions about Oncology (General Cancer), General History, Military History, Brain Tumors, Colon Cancer

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I'm a medical doctor and specialist in medical oncology and radiation therapy.

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