Radiation therapy – also called radiotherapy – is a highly targeted, highly effective way to destroy cancer cells in the breast that stick around after the surgery. Radiation can reduce the risk of recurrence of breast cancer by about 70%. Despite what many people fear radiation is relatively easy to tolerate the side effects and is limited to the treated area.

Your radiation treatments will be monitored by a radiation oncologist, a physician who specializes in cancer radiotherapy.

Radiation Therapy

Radiotherapy is using a large machine called a linear accelerator to precise amounts of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells provide. The radiation stops the reproduction of cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Radiotherapy has been shown that survival in women with breast cancer to improve.

Radiotherapy for breast cancer can be used:

• After lumpectomy or mastectomy, alone or in combination with chemotherapy, to reduce the risk of cancer is growing again in the chest.
• The main treatment for breast cancer and the surgeon believes that the tumor can not be safely removed, and the health of the woman is not a possible operation, or if the woman chooses not to have surgery.
• To treat cancer that has spread to the bones or brains.
• To relieve pain or other problems if the cancer returns.

Radiation Therapy Side Effects

Radiation therapy is painless. However, some women experience side effects, which may include:

• Redness, discomfort and dryness of the skin in the treated area. Your doctor will recommend a specific treatment if this happens. The redness may last as long as one years to fade.
• Fatigue, usually from two to three weeks after treatment begins. The fatigue increases during the duration of treatment and goes away about one months after treatment ends. Fatigue should not disable. Most women go through taking a nap or bedtime earlier.
• Lower blood counts. Your blood will be checked regularly, especially if you also receiving chemotherapy.

Sometimes women also experience a sore mouth or throat, dry mouth or, if these areas are irradiated.

During irradiation for breast cancer, women should:

• Contact the doctor if they develop unusual symptoms such as coughing, sweating, fever, or unusual pain.
• Ensure adequate rest and eat a healthy diet.
• For regular blood tests as prescribed by the physician.
• Be extra kind to the area. Avoid tight clothing or anything that rubs.
• Protect the area from exposure to the Sun
• Apply moisturizing lotions after radiation is completed.

Many advances in radiotherapy for breast cancer have helped women to avoid long-term side effects. However, they can occur and include:

• Rib fractures, which tend to heal without treatment (less than 1%)
• Lung inflammation, which tends to resolve on its own (less than 1%)
• Damage to the heart (Older methods of radiotherapy caused more problems. New advances avoid direct radiation to the heart.)
• Scar
• Very rarely, radiotherapy are associated with other tumors such as Kaposi

Side Effects during Treatment

Radiation therapy may cause side effects during treatment. You

• Redness and irritation of the skin
• Discomfort and swelling of the breast or chest
• Fatigue

You may not notice these effects until a few weeks you’ve had treatment. They start to get better when your treatment ends. But you may feel tired for several months thereafter.

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Side Effects after Treatment

For most women the appearance of the breast after radiotherapy is very good. But if you’re concerned about the potential side effects, talk to your radio or breast care nurse therapist. You can also find it useful to look at the main section on radiotherapy side effects.

Radiotherapy can affect your risk of some types of breast reconstruction, even if they otherwise may be suitable for you. Tissue expansion reconstruction is usually not possible after radiotherapy to the breast because the skin becomes less elastic post. Some forms of breast reconstruction using tissue may not be, as the breast area is a good blood supply for this type of surgery. Radiotherapy reduces blood flow to the area.

The radiotherapy is some lasting effect on your skin and any breast tissue left after breast conserving surgery. You may find that you

• Firmer breast tissue
• Reduction of breast tissue
• Swelling of the breast area
• Small red spots on your skin
• Dark skin