BREAST CANCER - DCIS and. . . . new study: Does radiation prolong life

NPR Shots on the 9th published a new article on the Duke radiation studies.

                       Doctors Are Slow To Adopt Changes in Breast Cancer Treatment.

A Duke study in 2004 had indicated that radiation, for women over 70 with early-stage breast cancer, did not improve the mortality rate. They did not live longer.

NPR, in referring back to that study uses the word "chemotherapy."  Do they mean also adjuvant therapy like Tamoxifen?  Or what we typically call "chemo" now?

Why do I care?

I am in the over-70 age group.  

My DCIS was radiated, and I am on adjuvant therapy (Tamoxifen).  

No one mentioned "chemo" to me.

I took the Sloan-Kettering (MSK) interactive nomogram:

It only predicted DCIS recurrence, not years of survival.   

NPR then quotes a new Duke study and article announcing very little difference since 1994 in percentage of doctors radiating patients with these cancers,  Are there new reasons for radiating now?  Are they radiating women who before 2004 would have had chemo?  Are the odds of survival without radiation just too unclear and too hard to calculate?

This has been written and debated on the web lately:  Nobody wants to make a mistake by telling someone to wait and see.  And probably no one wants to be the one who says forget radiation - just in case.

Why did I get radiation?

My surgeon said after surgery that I didn't have to do anything.  

But he recommended I at least meet a certain radiation oncologist.

Said she wouldn't give me radiation unless I needed it.    

She overwhelmed me with statistics.

My pathology report made me fear recurrence

I need to learn more about the 2004 study (chemo or not) and the new one..

Please::  Send in your research, experience, or reactions as comments.

I wish you health.

SURVIVORS - ANOTHER STORY

Yesterday, I focused on a cancer survivor.   Well, two female cancer survivors.  

Today, more from The Immune Power Personality.  Henry Dreher met Michael Callen in 1984, when Callen had already had AIDS for three years.  Dreher described him as "energetic, robust, and upbeat," and without visible symptoms.

 Callen was giving a talk at conference on psychological factors in AIDS.  He described his fight against prognosis that AIDS patients would die quickly, calling it "'the propaganda of hopelessness.'"  And he spoke about his fight against the medical community's lack of effort to beat AIDS.

Later Callen described his life:  a good doctor, acceptance of the seriousness of his disease, and a refusal to accept a death sentence.  Dreher describes him as "motivated by love and a search for meaning in his life work and relationships."   He was inspired by Callen's ongoing exploration of  "the role of personality in recovering from illness."

Callen went on with his singing career.  And he went on with his polite but determined war against medical and lay people's ignorance and apathy regarding AIDS.  

And he challenged the gay community to give up their denial of the dangers of common sex practices.  In short, he basically created what we now refer to as "safe sex."

He traveled extensively to talk with other AIDS patients.  He  did an end run around government stalling by creating and initiating localized research funding.  

Later he continued his personal passions, spent time cooking, and even wrote a book about his and other patients' lives.  Oh, and recorded a solo album of his songs.

Service.  But without abandoning his own abilities and joys.