Hi Cheryl - It sounds like your medical professionals were very straight forward with you. It also sounds like you're doing exactly the right things to take charge of your health.
The way a lot of the information is presented is confusing, it's like learning a whole new language in many ways. As a breast cancer survivor I've had to keep up on new developments for more than 20 years now, and am glad that I'm around to do so! :-)
In terms of your question about radiation being done only once, I can help you with information. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recently held it's annual conference in Chicago and announced the results of a study on this. I'm going to give you a link to one article and if you'd like more you can just use Google News and get it.
http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Modern+Medicine+Now/ASCO-Targeted-Radiotherapy-Beneficial-in-Breast-Ca/ArticleNewsFeed/Article/detail/673186?contextCategoryId=40144
I'd also like to suggest an article that I recently wrote that I think will also help you in finding information to help in making decisions:
https://www.empowher.com/cancer/content/empowering-cancer-patients-how-you-can-learn-latest-advances-treatment
You may also want to see if there are local support resources to help you, not just with this decision but with living with cancer. Your life has been changed forever, and it helps to have others to talk to who truly understand that you have fears and concerns and sometimes just need to let things out. There are some wonderful organizations, like The Wellness Community, that help with diet and nutrition, exercise, stress relief and many other concerns. I hope you will see what's available to you or if you need help with this I would be happy to do some research.
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Hi Cheryl - It sounds like your medical professionals were very straight forward with you. It also sounds like you're doing exactly the right things to take charge of your health.
The way a lot of the information is presented is confusing, it's like learning a whole new language in many ways. As a breast cancer survivor I've had to keep up on new developments for more than 20 years now, and am glad that I'm around to do so! :-)
In terms of your question about radiation being done only once, I can help you with information. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recently held it's annual conference in Chicago and announced the results of a study on this. I'm going to give you a link to one article and if you'd like more you can just use Google News and get it.
http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Modern+Medicine+Now/ASCO-Targeted-Radiotherapy-Beneficial-in-Breast-Ca/ArticleNewsFeed/Article/detail/673186?contextCategoryId=40144
I'd also like to suggest an article that I recently wrote that I think will also help you in finding information to help in making decisions:
https://www.empowher.com/cancer/content/empowering-cancer-patients-how-you-can-learn-latest-advances-treatment
You may also want to see if there are local support resources to help you, not just with this decision but with living with cancer. Your life has been changed forever, and it helps to have others to talk to who truly understand that you have fears and concerns and sometimes just need to let things out. There are some wonderful organizations, like The Wellness Community, that help with diet and nutrition, exercise, stress relief and many other concerns. I hope you will see what's available to you or if you need help with this I would be happy to do some research.
Keep on your path,
June 16, 2010 - 5:29pmPat
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