I want to tell you two stories about two breast cancer patients.

Two women, Nicole and Jane, both middle aged, both diagnosed with breast cancer.  There are few things that strike such fear when these words are heard.  These two friends went to two different clinics for their treatment.  Funny enough their treatment was very similar except for one difference.  Jane had to have lymph nodes removed while Nicole did not.

Nicole wanted me to attend her first meeting with her oncologist regarding her radiation treatment.  She told me that her blood pressure goes up and she forgets key questions to ask.  My job was to remember the key questions, which I had written down before our departure.

Her doctor was fabulous.  When I asked about a New York Times article that sited stories of radiation safety issues and the subsequent horrors that happened to patients, Dr. Redwood did not blink an eye.  He said that the article was factual!  (Gulp.)  Then he proceeded to tell us about their lengthy safety measures which are checked before each patient receives treatment.  All machine settings are cross checked three times before each session.  Nicole and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Now here is the key part that Jane was never told.  Nicole was instructed to use Hydrocortisone Cream three times a day to be applied on a daily basis after her treatment.  “Just slather it on, all over the whole breast” were his exact words.  He continued by saying that the cream would protect her skin from any subsequent discomfort as a result of her treatment.

Nicole’s 28 days of radiation went very smoothly.  Other than redness on the breast and some sensation, there were no problems at all.  Poor Jane was never told about hydrocortisone cream.  She experienced third degree burns with a cracked and bleeding nipple. She had to continue treatment, which exacerbated these wounds.

I had assumed that this simple remedy was part of standard procedure.  Sadly I was wrong.  Going through any type of medical treatment has its pitfalls, but is it really necessary to have to go through added pain that could’ve been prevented?  Just get the cream and use it!  If you like print this out and bring it to your consultation!  If your doctor says not to use it, I recommend you get a second opinion.

If I were a patient about to undergo treatment with radiation I know exactly what I would do.  First I would ask what settings will be used on the machine for my treatment?  Would a wedge or other implement be needed to narrow the beams?  I would not care what the technician thought of my precautions. Before each session I would ask for the machines settings to verify they were set exactly as dictated by the physician. Secondly I would use the cream.

Here is a picture of the radiated breast at the very start of treatment.  This is the reddest it ever got.  Again, there was no pain associated with this treatment.

After several days of Nicole using hydrocortisone cream the red color faded.

I want you to know that both of these friends are doing great.  Treatment was finished a good while ago, they are cancer free, healthy and happy!

May you too have an uneventful time through the course of your treatment and joining the ranks of healthy survivors.