Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. It lowers the risk of your cancer coming back in the breast or chest wall. Radiation therapy is used after breast-conserving surgery and sometimes after mastectomy, depending on how advanced the Breast Cancer is at the time of surgery.

Most people have radiation treatments every day, 5 days each week, for about 6 weeks. Radiation therapy also may be combined with other treatments, such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy.

The most common way to give radiation therapy is called external beam radiation. This method of treatment exposes the skin on the chest and under the arm to a carefully focused beam of radiation. You will not be able to see the radiation, but your skin will look slightly sunburned in the treated area (called the radiation field). Small marks are tattooed onto the skin to help identify the radiation area.

Sometimes tiny radioactive pellets are placed in or near the tumor site. This is called brachytherapy, internal radiation, or interstitial radiation. Giving an extra boost of radiation near where the tumor was removed may help keep the Breast Cancer from returning to that area.

Brachytherapy is often used with external beam radiation.

Side effects

Radiation therapy can cause many side effects. Fatigue is common, especially toward the end of your treatment and for several weeks afterward. For some women, fatigue can last a long time after treatment.

Exercise helps battle anemia during radiation treatment. Even when you are feeling bad, do everything you can to get regular exercise. There's no need to wear yourself out-getting six half-hour walks a week at an average pace has been proven to improve blood counts.³⁷ Walking with a friend can be the best way to stay with a routine, and it also brings you added support. Balancing rest with activity is important. Try to match your activities to your energy levels. Be patient. It can take time to fully recover.

The skin on your breast and under your arm may become red, dry, tender, and itchy. Toward the end of treatment, the skin may become moist and "weepy." These effects are temporary, and the area will gradually heal when treatment is completed. Expose the area to air as much as possible to help the skin heal. Some types of clothing may rub the skin and cause irritation, so you may want to wear loose-fitting cotton clothes. You may feel more comfortable if you do not wear a bra until your skin heals.

Possible long-term effects

• Radiation treatment can cause long-lasting fatigue. This has been linked to inflammation in the body.³⁹
• Radiation treatment to the left breast area may cause later heart problems. It has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease later in life, compared to right-breast radiation. The risk is especially high for smokers.^{42, 43}

Complementary therapy