In April, I was diagnosed with bilateral localized Stage1a ER+PR+HER2- breast cancer. My treatment plan includes partial mastectomy (completed in May), radiation (currently underway), and hormone therapy (commencing in August). I have a big dive trip planned in November, and my medical oncologist said I should be just fine to dive then, noting that we could adjust my hormone therapy medications as needed if I were having any adverse side effects. My radiation oncologist said that my skin should be fully healed by November, thus immersion in salt water should be OK. However, a different radiation oncologist oversaw a couple of my treatments this week, and I asked him about diving as well. He noted that I should wait 3-6 months after radiation to dive (thus the November trip should be fine), but he said something concerning. He said he'd heard of a patient who experienced lung problems on her first dive trip following radiation. The trip was very close to the end of her radiation, so his concern was that perhaps her lungs had experienced damage from the radiation and hadn't healed in time. He didn't have any other details, but of course it has me concerned. For breast cancer survivors, are there contraindications with possible long-term lung damage from radiation and diving? I'm trying to gather as much information as I can at this point, so that I can fully understand if diving will be a safe activity for me to pursue. I am also calling DAN to get their take on this. Thanks so much for any factual information that anyone could provide!
Diving after radiation for breast cancer
- Thread starter sharkbear
- Start date
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Please let us know what they say!
There are a couple of types of tissue damage that can happen with radiation. There's the initial radiation burn that you probably experienced, there's also a risk of soft tissue radionecrosis that can take months or years to present. The lungs can be affected by either. Occurrence depends partly on the dose and the area of the irradiated field; your radiation oncologist can give you more details on that. There's enough individual variability in this that you would be best off being evaluated in person by a physician trained and experienced in assessing divers. You can ask DAN for a recommendation when you speak with them.
Best regards,
DDM
Will do!
Thank you so much, this is very helpful information. Much appreciated.
The bottom line is that they have no ******* clue. Mastectomy and chemotherapy leave different results for every patient. You have to figure out what works for you. Women are amazing and wonderful. Those of us men who are lucky enough to have a female partner know that they are stronger than we are. There is not one answer for everyone. Figure out what works for you and go for it.
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