[Becky]

Dear Marcia

High five to you for even thinking about this very important question. Like most, I though radiation was a standard, calculated thing and I think, for the most part, it probably is.

Tomorrow is my 5 year cancersary so I figure I must have done some things right but for radiation - I think I really dropped the ball (Herceptin wasn't available then and I was spending so much of my energy trying to obtain it, I dropped the ball on rads thinking it was all just standard protocol). You see, on my non cancerous side, I was diagnosed with a tiny, low grade DCIS of which I was told I did not need rads on that side. The jury is really out on that decision but I never investigated rads as I had on everything else (AND I did get 16 months of Herceptin (starting 4 months after chemo was done and 2 months after rads was done) so I think that's why all is still well with me.

Ask, ask, ask questions on rads. Will the rad field encompass the lymph node area?
Will you get a boost to the tumor bed and lymph node bed? How many whole chest wall rad sessions will you get and how many boosts? What will happen if your skin does not hold up? What pre or post creams etc will you need to have on hand?

What other organs or "parts" will be in the rad field (so if your ribs hurt in the first year you don't freak).

You are smarter than you think - trust that, you are to ask about rads (which I do think is pretty standardly calculated for each of us).

Cheers to you and have a nice Labor Day!