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Chelee--
Studies pf radiation therapy have shown that is helps prevent LOCAL recurrance-- it won't do much for distant recurrance. I had a lot of radiation, and the Dr. said that it would reduce my risk of local recurrance by a substantial percentage, so I went for it. It is the standard of care for women with a high # positive nodes, whether or not they had a masectomy.
Just like with chemo, there's no guarantee that it is going to work, but it increases your chances of remaining disease free. And there are side-effects, unfortunetly. For me, it was fatigue. As far as I can tell, that was it, although I'm only 7 months out.
Good luck with your decision.
Jen
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dx 4/05 @ 34 y.o.
Stage IIIC, ER+ (90%)/PR+ (95%)/HER2+ (IHC 3+)
lumpectomy-- 2.5 cm 15+/37 nodes
(IVF in between surgery and chemo)
tx dd A/C, followed by dd Taxol & Herceptin
30 rads (or was it 35?)
Finished Herceptin on 7/24/06
Tamox
livingcured.blogspot.com
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow." -- Helen Keller
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