Brachytherapy for Breast Cancer --

Hi Everyone,

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and Treated in 2/2000.  Due to prior Cancers and prior radiation exposure they refused to treat me with additional radiation. They wanted me to have a mastectomy. Instead I had a quad-lump-ectomy, Chemo and Brachytherapy !  Has anyone had Brachytherapy as a treatment for Breast Cancer ?   I realize more women today elect Mastectomy as treatment. Today looking back I wish I would have been brave enough to have a Masectomy.  I felt that the Mastectomy surgery and reconstruction was more of a health risk for me  ?  I am sceptical even today.  I've had "Cancer" all my life. (yes... since I was 5) Justunder 3 years prior to the Breast Cancer diagnosis I had under gone a Triple-Laminectomy to remove a tumor from inside my spine.  I had a difficult time recovering Mentally (strangely not physically) from that sugery.  When I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, the idea of another Major Surgery again was a flat out NO, I told my doctors I can't go through it again. It was overwhelming.  Long story...  I elected the Chemo and Brachytherapy. Not so sure if that was a good choice... I have not had a re-currance so that is a good thing.  I thought id I had a re-occurance I would then have the Mastectomy. 

I keep considering the Mastectomy... ?  becasue I have so much scar tissue from the Lumpectomy and the Brachytherapy... (18 catheters) ... I feel like I still have Breast Cancer. I fear that they will not be able to find it even if I did have it... due to all the scarring. ? Help... Thanks. 

 

 

I had a lumpectomy on May 6 and received the news that I did indeed have Breast Cancer on May 12. I  had Brachytherapy at the beginning of this  month. The surgeon inserted the cathater for Mammosite on a Monday. Tuesday the Oncologist said the balloon did not fill the cavity so he removed the cathater and replaced it with one that had 7 wires which each had to be hooked up to the radiation machine. This one also left an area untreated, so I only went through 3 days of Brachy although had to endure having the cathater in for 5 days. I was told that was a "boost" and will still need external radiation, but not for as many weeks as I would have without  the Brachy.  While I hated having this object inside me for 5 days, I am grateful that this option exists and grateful to every person who has ever donated to cancer research as well as those who perform the research. I was told that this option gives the odds of recurrance as a masectomy. If I had been told a masectomy would give me better odds, I would have had one!