CAT Scan pre- radiotherapy

[PennyHopes]

Just wanted to ask if the British standard amount of radiation therapy is 25 .... here in the US we get 28 as a minimum recommended by the American Cancer Association..... I'm starting my treatment tomorrow with a scan, then I think they mentioned a mold of my body & tattoos.... I'm reeling because I wasn't expecting 28 sessions! Anyone researching targeted intense sonograms as an alternative?? I'm not doing anything experimental but if anyone has heard about it please reply X

Thanks

Pennyhopes

[Lainey66]

Hi PennyHopes, I'm in Ireland and I had 25. I had the three tattoo dots, painless process. I wish you all the best. Lainey66 ❤️

[Jennymary]

Hi, I'm in England, had 15 sessions in January 2014, and, like Lainey, have 3 tattooed dots to help pinpoint the areas to treat, good luck

[Nixh]

I had 15, think it depends on what your treatment plan is based on your diagnoses. Some people have 25 though.... I had the 3 little dots, painless. Didn't research sonograms so can't help there, sorry... Nix x

[josiemarie]

Hi Penny, Im in the UK and had 30 over six weeks after 4xfec and 4x tax. That was in '04.

Josie x

[Mac99]

Hi, I think the amount is dependent on the treatment plan, i.e. area needing to be covered ability to cope with intensity etc. I was originally scheduled for 30 but I had an occasion I did not want to miss so they brought it down to 28 but increased the intensity of each treatment. It can be done in a shorter time with high intensity sessions but that is dependent on previous surgery, risk of lymphodema etc. Good luck with it all

[louise007]

It all depends which part of the UK . I had 15 plus 5 booster sessions to site of the lump but I know in some counties it maybe 15 only .Scotland Wales England and Northern Ireland have their own guidelines .but I am sure an oncologist would treat each person as an individual case .

[haagr]

Hi Penny

I'm in NYC in January I had 16 whole breast and 4 boost radiation therapy sessions. Treatment is highly individualized although it appears to be similar. I went to to Susan B Komen site and copied the following excerpt that explains this process.

"Treatment is usually given once a day, 5 days a week, for 3-7 weeks.

The schedule of radiation sessions is designed to treat your breast cancer and varies from person to person.

Accelerated, hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation

Some women may get a shortened course (only 3-4 weeks) of radiation therapy [12].

This is called accelerated, hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation. It’s like standard radiation therapy except it uses a slightly higher dose of radiation per session (hypofractionation). This reduces the number of treatment sessions (making it an accelerated therapy).

Studies have shown that in general, accelerated, hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation is as effective as standard radiation therapy [13].

Radiation boost

After radiation therapy to the whole breast, you may have more radiation (called a boost) to the part of the breast that had the tumor.

This boost radiation is given to increase the amount of radiation therapy given to the area at highest risk for breast cancer recurrence.

Your boost radiation session is similar to a regular session. "

Hope this helps understanding why done treatment plans are longer than others

R in NYC