How effective is radiation therapy? If early-stage breast cancer hasn't spread, radiation therapy after a
it's completely safe as the radiation is highly targeted, no other organs or tissue is ever at risk. The cosmetic results are tremendous, you don't need new breasts or reconstruction surgery. And when detected early has a 95% success rate.
Radiation therapy is recommended for most people who have lumpectomy to remove breast cancer. Lumpectomy is sometimes called breast-conserving surgery. The goal of radiation after lumpectomy is to destroy any individual cancer cells that may have been left in the breast after the tumor was removed.
Women who have had breast radiation may not be able to breastfeed from the radiated breast. Radiation to the breast can sometimes damage some of the nerves to the arm. This is called brachial plexopathy and can lead to numbness, pain, and weakness in the shoulder, arm, and hand.
Most women with breast cancer in stages I, II, or III are treated with surgery, often followed by radiation therapy. Many women also get some kind of systemic drug therapy (medicine that travels to almost all areas of the body). In general, the more the breast cancer has spread, the more treatment you will likely need.
A common treatment schedule (course) historically has included one radiation treatment a day, five days a week (usually Monday through Friday), for five or six weeks. This course is still commonly used in people who require radiation to the lymph nodes.
Does Radiation Oncology Have Fewer Side Effects Compared to Chemotherapy? Radiation oncology and chemotherapy are both effective cancer treatments; however, they are different in many ways. Radiation oncology is localized: it targets only the affected area of the body, and therefore, tends to have fewer side effects.
Radiation: May cause pain, burning, swelling, and skin discoloration (typically red) at the site of radiation (often the breast). There may even be blistering or peeling of the skin. In rare cases, the radiation may burn a bit of the lung and cause it to swell (pneumonitis).
The soreness usually goes away within 3 to 4 weeks after ending the treatment. Towards the end of the radiotherapy, the skin might break down, especially under the breast.
Radiation is almost always strongly recommended following breast conserving surgery, and women who indicate preoperatively that they will decline radiotherapy, will often be steered toward mastectomy, as in most cases it is felt that the risk of local recurrence without radiation is unacceptably high.
More than 60% of NPC patients receiving curative-intent radiotherapy suffered from a weight loss greater than 5% during the treatment [8], [9].
The most common early side effects are fatigue (feeling tired) and skin changes. Other early side effects usually are related to the area being treated, such as hair loss and mouth problems when radiation treatment is given to this area.
While it's more common for people to gain weight during and after treatment, some people lose weight. Gaining or losing a few pounds is normal, but a considerable weight change — say 5% to 10% of your total body weight — could have an effect on your health.
You can lower your risk by getting radiation therapy afterward. You have a 3% to 15% chance of breast cancer recurrence within 10 years with this combined treatment. Based on genetic testing, your provider may recommend additional treatments to further reduce your risk.
Many patients with stage 2 breast cancer need to undergo radiation therapy, especially those who have breast-conserving surgery. If testing on the removed lymph nodes finds signs of cancer, those undergoing mastectomy will also require radiation therapy.
Radiation's ability to prevent cancer cells from spreading is commendable, but the end goal is to provide a higher survival benefit. If preventing recurrence does not prolong life, then a patient might find themselves spending a large sum of time and money without gaining the results.
Breast cancer surgery, and sometimes radiotherapy, may make your chest area feel particularly sensitive. Wearing a bra may make you feel more comfortable, but this isn't always the case. Your surgeon or breast care nurse may advise you on what bra to wear depending on the type of surgery you have had.
You may have aches, twinges or sharp pains in the breast or chest area. These are usually mild. They may continue for months or years, but they usually become milder and less frequent over time. You may also have stiffness and discomfort around the shoulder and breast or chest area during and after treatment.
After radiotherapy, the skin of the breast may change colour. It may become darker with a blue or black tinge. It may also be more sensitive.
Radiation resistance is a serious issue in radiotherapy. Increasing evidence indicates that the human gut microbiome plays a role in the development of radiation resistance. Vitamin D is an important supplement for cancer patients treated with radiotherapy.
Very rarely, radiotherapy to the breast area can affect the lungs.
For many patients undergoing radiation therapy, their immune systems will not be affected by radiation therapy. This is because radiation is focused on specific targets in the body and can be designed to avoid the bone marrow which is where cells that make up the immune system are produced.
Although radiation therapy effectively treats many types of cancer, it may also increase your likelihood of developing a different cancer in the future. For many people, the benefits of radiation therapy are worth the risk.
Don't wear tight clothing over the treatment area. It's important not to rub, scrub or scratch any sensitive spots. Also avoid putting anything that is very hot or very cold—such as heating pads or ice packs—on your treated skin.
Foods that cause gas include asparagus, beans, beer, broccoli, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, eggs, fish, milk, mushrooms, nuts, peppers and spicy foods. Also avoid foods that are labeled sugar-free, since these have ingredients, like sugar alcohols, that often cause gas.