Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 2/16/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear Claes
I'm 46 years old and recently had a lumpectomy for a 1cm medullary carcinoma.All results were negative after surgery.
I had only 2mm between the tumor and the healthy tissue ,and the nodes (16) all came back negative.
The tumor was estrogen sensitive.
I am afraid of having full breast radiation as i'm concerned about damage to my lung and heart.
Do you feel that radiation is necessary as i'm losing alot of sleep over this.
I feel that radiating the whole breast is excessive to treat such a small and rare form of cancer.
Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated .
Thanks so much
Cathy

ANSWER: No such treatment is NOT excessive! The risks to your lungs and heart are SMALL! So full breast radiation is a NECESSITY after a lumpectomy! Anything else could rightly be called malpractice! Remember that breast cancer even if small is a potentially deadly disease! Radiation therapy is not a great risk to your life and health but cancer is! Good luck!


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Claes
I also would like to know if radiation will shrink my breast ,and if i have it and it comes back can i still have another lumpectomy ? ,or do i have to have a masectomy ?
Cathy

Answer
No , normally not. And even if it did I still have to remind you that we are dealing with a cancer here! Well a new lumpectomy could not be followed by any more radiation so in that case a mastectomy would probably be necessary. However that is NOT a good reason for trying to avoid radiation now!