Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer

What Is Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer?

Radiation therapy uses high levels of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing, dividing, or spreading to other body parts. Because it targets only the cancer cells, it causes less damage to nearby healthy cells.

Who Gets Radiation

Your doctor may recommend radiation:

• During surgery as a single dose at the site where the tumor was removed
• After a mastectomy' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >lumpectomy (a breast-conserving surgery to remove a tumor) or after a mastectomy to lower the odds of the cancer returning in that breast
• To treat some symptoms of advanced cancer

Treatments generally start several weeks after surgery so your body has some time to heal. If your doctor recommends chemotherapy, too, you might start chemo first.

External Beam Radiation

You’ll have small marks and stickers placed on your skin along the treatment area to give your medical team a map to follow. Don’t try to wash these marks off or retouch them if they fade; the therapist will re-mark them when needed.

When you go for a treatment, your therapist will escort you into the room and help you get in the right position. Then they'll leave and start the treatment.

It's important to hold still and stay relaxed. Cameras and an intercom allow the therapist to see and hear you. Tell them right away if you're concerned about something.

The therapist will be in and out of the room to reposition the machine and your body. The machine won’t touch you, and the treatment itself won't hurt.

Proton Therapy

This is a type of external beam radiation that uses energy from positively charged particles called protons to damage the DNA in cancer cells so they can no longer divide or grow. You usually get it 4 to 6 weeks after surgery or chemotherapy, and you’ll get it 5 days a week for several weeks for 30-45 minutes a day.

Side Effects of External Beam Radiation

Depending on the dose and type, you may notice these during treatment:

• Red, swollen, warm, sensitive skin -- it might feel like you have a sunburn. It may peel or become moist and tender.
• Hair loss
• Less sweat where you were treated
• Fatigue
• Breast swelling
• Changes in skin sensation

These side effects usually go away gradually within 4 to 6 weeks after your last treatment. Tell your doctor or nurse if you see skin changes outside the treated area.

Long-term side effects can last beyond a year after treatment. They may include:

• A slight darkening of your skin
• Enlarged pores on your breast
• More sensitive or less sensitive skin
• Thickening of breast tissue or skin
• A change in the size of your breast

These complications are rare:

• Broken ribs
• Heart damage
• Inflamed lung tissue
• Lymphedema (swelling, usually in the arm) if you had lymph nodes removed
• Secondary or new cancer or tumor
• Sore chest wall

Brachytherapy

Radioactive seeds or pellets as small as grains of rice are placed inside the breast, near the cancer. Whether this treatment might be right for you will depend on your tumor’s size, location, and other things.

Brachytherapy can be used alone or with external beam radiation.

Side Effects of Brachytherapy

Most people have reactions like:

• Redness
• Bruising
• Breast pain

Less likely, but still possible, problems include:

• Infection
• Damage to fatty tissue in the breast
• Weakness and fracture of the ribs in rare cases
• Fluid collecting in the breast (seroma)

Take Care of Yourself During Treatment

Radiation affects each person differently. To help keep your energy up during radiation treatments:

• Get enough rest.
• Eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet.
• Pace yourself, and plan frequent rest periods.

Good nutrition will also help you recover from side effects, heal, and fight off infection. It may give you a sense of well-being, too. If you have a hard time eating, work with a dietitian to find ways to get the nutrients you need.

Many people feel fatigued after several weeks of treatment. Most often, this is mild. But some people feel more tired and may need to change their daily routines. Your doctor will let you know if they think you should limit your activities.

After Radiation Therapy

You'll see your doctor for follow-up exams and X-rays. They’ll tell you how often to come in.

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