Some Very Good News: second opinion on Radiation

Yesterday Ken and I went to get a second opinion from another breast cancer radiation oncologist that was suggested by the team at Northwestern.   And her recommendation is that I do NOT need radiation after my chemotherapy.  I feel a huge sense of relief to not have to have six more weeks of treatment.  I also am very thankful that I do not have to worry about the side effects that are related to radiation.

Dr. G and her team at Rush, after reviewing all my slides, reports and details, along with taking a complete medical history,  input the data into a national database that suggests risks about recurrence.  She believes my current risk for a local recurrence is about 4%.  Local radiation treats local recurrence where the chemotherapy treats systemic recurrence.  Local radiation reduces the risk of local recurrence by about 1/3.  So, in her opinion based on my personal pathology and data from the national database she used at Sloan Kettering, if I got local radiation I would be reducing my risk from 4% to 2.6%.   She felt the reduction was not worth the risks of the side effects. 

I am very relieved.  The radiation has much more lasting and negative side effects (or so they say) than the chemo therapy.  My journey just got a few steps shorter.  Thank you to all for the prayers and warm wishes.  So even though this week, I am in the throes of major bone pain, and drugged with pain medication and steroids, etc.  I am looking forward.

This summer, I will see you on the bike!