Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is used to treat the breast but can also be used to treat other areas and include:
• Under the arm to destroy any cancer cells in the lymph nodes.
• The chest after a mastectomy, for example if some lymph nodes under the arm are affected.
• The side of your neck and around your collarbone on the side where you had surgery.
If you have breast-conserving surgery you will usually be offered radiotherapy to the breast to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back in the same breast. Sometimes you may be offered radiotherapy to the nodes under your arm.
Radiotherapy itself is painless and does not make you radioactive. You will have treatment on a machine called a linear accelerator. Standard radiotherapy is given daily (not weekends) for 3 weeks, a total of 15 treatments. If you require a boost, this will be an additional 5 treatments. You may be offered a trial that is looking at the doses and amounts of radiotherapy that is used in the UK. This is voluntary and you will be offered full information by your oncologist if you are eligible.
Planning your treatment
Your first appointment will be for planning your treatment. This visit will take 1-2 hours to complete. You will be asked to sign a consent form and undergo a planning CT scan. This scan allows the staff to plan your treatment accurately on the radiotherapy computer planning system. Finally you will have 3 small tattoos (the size of a small freckle) on either side of your chest and in the middle near your breast bone. These marks are used to ensure you are in the same position every day for your treatment.
If you have any changes in breast shape for example due to the formation of a large seroma, after having had your planning scan, it is very important that you contact the radiotherapy department before you start your treatments.
What are the side effects of radiotherapy?
The x-rays used in radiotherapy can sometimes cause side effects, some which are short term, others which are long term.
Some of the most common short term side effects are:
• Being tired
• Redness in the part of your body being treated
• Soreness and aching
Some of the long term side effects are:
- Pain or discomfort. It is important to have any pain from your surgery under control before having radiotherapy as this may help lessen the chances of developing chronic pain.
- skin changes, including a slight change in colour or telangiectasia (tiny blood vessels which are visible under the skin).
- Scar tissue. This tends to be more noticeable around your surgical scar.
- Swelling of your arm, hand or breast area, called lymphoedema. The chances of developing this is higher if you underwent an axillary node clearance.
Exercises to help with your radiotherapy
Regular short sessions of approximately 5 minutes every 2-3 hours is best for effective stretching. Do not force movements, but try to gradually increase it. Exercising should not be painful. For further information please see Arm exercises following surgery
Always tell your breast care nurse or treatment team how your treatment is affecting you. They can often suggest things to help.
Disclaimer: On this website you will find advice to help you manage some of the more common but milder symptoms and side effects of breast cancer surgery. Please ONLY use this advice if you are currently participating in the ePainQ research project, otherwise you must follow the advice given to you by your medical team.
Clicking on the links in the left hand menu will take you to advice on looking after yourself during treatment. If after following the advice you don’t feel your symptoms are being successfully managed or relieved, or if you become more unwell, you should contact your hospital medical team immediately.