A Comprehensive Guide to Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer

For cancer treatment, radiation therapy uses x-rays or other high-energy rays to help kill cancer cells and stop them from growing and spreading. Standard breast cancer treatment involves some form of radiation therapy. Radiation therapy for breast cancer uses high-energy waves or particles to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It's commonly used with other treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

Types of Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer

There are two types of radiation treatments for breast cancer:

• External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) -  This type of radiation uses high-energy X-rays or electron beams from a machine outside your body to deliver doses directly to your tumor in two-dimensional beams from many directions.

• Brachytherapy - Brachytherapy involves placing radioactive material inside or next to your tumor using needles, seeds, wires, catheters, or other devices placed by a surgeon. Some brachytherapy can be done during surgery with little extra time needed for recovery. Other brachytherapy forms are performed after surgery and require a longer hospitalization time than if you were having surgery alone.

What Should I Expect Before My Radiation Therapy Session for Breast Cancer?

Usually, your doctor will schedule several appointments with you before beginning radiation therapy. During these meetings, your doctor will review any new concerns and give you more information about what to expect during the therapy and after treatment. You'll also meet with a radiation oncologist who will explain how radiation works and answer any questions you have.

Before your first treatment session, you’ll go through a planning session referred to as a simulation. It helps your provider zero in the treatment area while ensuring minimal impact on healthy tissues.

How Does Radiation Therapy Treat Breast Cancer?

As mentioned, radiotherapy, or radiation therapy, uses x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. When used in treating breast cancer, radiation is delivered from a machine outside your body. Depending on the tumor's location in your breast tissue, radiation can be focused at one point or distributed evenly over a larger area.

Side-effects of Radiation on Breast Cancer

There are certain side effects of radiation for breast cancer which can include:

• Fatigue
• Mouth sores
• Swelling in your arms and legs
• Constipation
• Hair may fall
• Dry, itchy, flaky skin

Radiotherapy for breast cancer can be more effective than other methods in curing breast cancer. If you're looking to treat breast cancer, talk with our team of oncologists about radiation therapy.

If you have any questions or have been diagnosed with breast cancer, Contact our Chesapeake Oncology Hematology Associate team or visit our website. Our team of skilled oncologists can develop a personalized treatment plan to treat your cancer.

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