Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. It is used after breast-conserving surgery and sometimes after mastectomy, depending on how advanced your breast cancer is at the time of your surgery. You will usually 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.

Radiation therapy can cause many side effects. Fatigue is common, especially toward the end of your treatment and for several weeks afterward. Balancing rest with activity is important; try to match your activities to your energy levels. Be patient; it may take you a few weeks 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.

Complementary therapy

Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, herbs, biofeedback, meditation, yoga, and vitamins, are sometimes used along with medical treatment. Some people feel that they benefit from some of these therapies.

Before you try a complementary therapy, talk to your doctor about the possible value and potential side effects. Let your doctor know if you are already using any such therapies.

Complementary therapies are not meant to take the place of standard medical treatment, but they may improve your quality of life and help you deal with the stress and side effects of cancer treatment.

Clinical trials

Other treatments for breast cancer are being tested in clinical trials. Ongoing trials may include:

• “Partial breast” radiation procedures. Several methods are being tested that use radioactive implants (brachytherapy) and concentrated high-energy X-rays (limited field external radiation) for 1 to 5 days to replace the standard 4 to 6 weeks of traditional radiation therapy. The goal of these clinical trials is to keep the cancer from returning but reduce the side effects as much as possible.
• The use of a medicine in a different way or the use of a new medicine, such as a biologic response modifier. A biological response modifier uses materials produced by your body or made in a lab to boost, direct, or restore your body’s natural defenses against breast cancer.

See websites -www.breastcancer.org -www.breastcancernutrition.com

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