How long is a radiation treatment for breast cancer?
The standard schedule for getting whole breast radiation is 5 days a week (Monday through Friday) for about 6 to 7 weeks.
What happens after radiotherapy for breast cancer?
After radiotherapy, your breast may feel firmer and shrink slightly in size. If your breast is noticeably smaller, you can have surgery to reduce the size of your other breast. If you had breast reconstruction, using an implant before radiotherapy, you may need to have the implant replaced.
What is the success rate of radiation therapy for breast cancer?
Radiation therapy decreased the risk of dying from cancer by approximately 33%. The probability of surviving 10 years from treatment was increased from 54% to 64% and 45% to 54% in the two studies, respectively. No significant long-term side effects of radiation therapy were reported.
Is radiation for breast cancer painful?
The radiation treatment procedure is painless, but it may cause some skin discomfort over time. When treating early-stage breast cancer, radiation therapy is often given after surgery.
Do you lose your hair with radiation for breast cancer?
Nausea and hair loss Nausea is rare with radiation therapy to the breast. You won’t lose the hair on your head. However, you may lose some hair under your arm or on the breast or chest area getting radiation (this may be a concern for some men with breast cancer).
What happens to your breast after radiation?
Radiotherapy to the breast or under the arm can cause hardening of the tissue. This is known as fibrosis. If the fibrosis is severe, the breast can become noticeably smaller as well as firmer. This is rare but may happen several months or years after radiotherapy has finished.
What can you not do during radiation treatment?
What Foods Should I Avoid During Radiation? Foods to avoid or reduce during radiation therapy include sodium (salt), added sugars, solid (saturated) fats, and an excess of alcohol. Some salt is needed in all diets. Your doctor or dietitian can recommend how much salt you should consume based on your medical history.
Will I lose my hair with radiotherapy?
Hair loss is a common side effect of radiotherapy. But unlike hair loss during chemotherapy, it only causes hair loss in the area being treated. Ask your care team to show you exactly where your hair is likely to fall out. Your hair will usually start to fall out 2 to 3 weeks after treatment starts.
How long will my breast hurt after radiation?
Your breast or chest area may appear swollen and feel uncomfortable. This usually settles within a few weeks after treatment. If it continues after this time, talk to your specialist or breast care nurse as you may need to be seen and assessed by a lymphoedema specialist.
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