What is Breast Radiation? We Teach You Everything

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06/23/23

We teach you about radiation for breast cancer. Learn about the types of breast radiation and how radiation reduces the risk of cancer “local recurrence.”

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Questions for your Radiation Oncologist and Breast Surgeon:

1. What are the risks and benefits of radiation?
2. What different radiation options do I have?
3. Can you explain what I should expect during and after radiation?
4. What are the long-term side effects?
5. How can I avoid radiation altogether?

What is Breast Radiation? What is a “Local Recurrence?”

Radiation therapy is very effective at killing cancer cells while sparing the normal surrounding tissue. This is only one component of a comprehensive treatment plan. Breast radiation is generally performed after your tumor has been surgically removed. If you are going to have a lumpectomy surgery to remove your breast cancer, then you will most likely need radiation to reduce the chance cancer will grow back in the surgical area.

Quite simply, radiation reduces the risk of “local recurrence” in the area where the tumor was surgically removed or in nearby areas where the cancer is at risk for recurring in the future. When a “local recurrence” of your cancer does occur, it is a threat to your life. When indicated, radiation reduces this risk of local recurrence, and as a result, may increase your chance of surviving breast cancer.

Is “Whole Breast Radiation” the standard of care?

Breast radiation is most commonly offered to women who undergo a breast conserving lumpectomy for early stage breast cancer. “Whole Breast Radiation” is the most utilized and researched form of radiation after a lumpectomy and is generally considered the “standard of care.” For many women older than 50 with favorable early stage cancer, a cutting-edge, “shorter course” of whole breast radiation can be administered over 4 weeks rather than 6 weeks.

We outline below some other techniques of delivering radiation for breast cancer.

General Radiation Treatment Expectations:
Breast radiation is usually performed as an outpatient procedure within a dedicated radiation center. Depending on the patient and the course of treatment, it is generally well tolerated. A few facts about radiation therapy are listed below.

Expectations during whole breast radiation

The actual treatment takes about 15 minutes (although you will be at the appointment a little bit longer than that to change clothes before and after your treatment)
Radiation does not hurt when administered
Treatments are daily, Monday through Friday for about 4 to 6 weeks
You can work while undergoing radiation treatment

Truths about Radiation:

Breast radiation does not make you feel ill
There is no hair loss with radiation to the breast
You will not become “radioactive” from treatment

Side Effects of Radiation Therapy:

Your breast and skin can become irritated and tender
Some constricting or shrinkage of the treated breast and surrounding tissue may occur
Breast reconstruction and implants can be affected
General fatigue is common
Your breast and ribs can be sore for an extended period of time
You cannot have radiation if you are pregnant
There is a small risk of increasing coronary heart disease
There are very rare cancers that can be caused by breast radiation

Other types of breast radiation:

Breast Brachytherapy

This shorter course (1 week) of radiation is applied directly to the area of surgery using devices made for this purpose. The results are promising for women over 50 years old with favorable tumors that undergo a lumpectomy. Not everyone is a candidate for brachytherapy. Review our video lesson on “Breast Brachytherapy“ to learn more.

Intra-Operative Radiation Therapy

Intra-Operative Radiation Therapy (IORT) is an evolving form of radiation therapy available at some hospitals. It is currently appropriate for only a small proportion of patients with early stage breast cancer. The benefit is that the radiation is administered and completed during the lumpectomy surgery in the operating room.

Post-Mastectomy Radiation Therapy

Post-mastectomy radiation therapy is the term for applying radiation to the area of the mastectomy and lymph nodes, usually performed about 4 weeks after surgery. It is generally recommended for those who are at a high risk to have a local recurrence of their cancer.

Palliative Radiation Therapy

Palliative radiation is used to treat the symptoms of cancer growing in the breast or within other parts of the body. An example is someone who has severe back pain and leg weakness from breast cancer in their spine. Palliative radiation to the spine can help alleviate these symptoms.