Side Effects From Radiation For Breast Cancer

Several weeks after treatment ends the side effects typically go away.

Side effects from radiation for breast cancer.

Here are some long term side effects to be aware of. Radiation can be an effective treatment for breast cancer but it does have side effects. Nausea is rare with radiation therapy to the breast. Adobe stock belish breast fibrosis.

Skin irritation dryness and color changes. The goal is to destroy or damage the cancer without hurting too many healthy cells. If you have a higher dose of radiation your chances of getting side effects are more likely but if you get too low of a dose of radiation it won t be as effective against the cancer and could leave cancer cells alive. Doctors may recommend this therapy in combination with others such as surgery and chemotherapy.

Rare short or long term side effects. Not everyone experiences side effects of radiation. If you have radiation to the breast it can affect your heart or lungs as well causing other side effects. In some cases the area treated might also include the nodes above the collarbone supraclavicular lymph nodes and the.

Radiation therapy treats cancer by using high energy waves to kill tumor cells. Breast swelling from fluid build up lymphedema. Just as the benefits of radiation are gradual you ll usually see a gradual onset of side effects. Radiation to the breast can cause.

You won t lose the hair on your head. Rare short term side effects nausea and hair loss. But by being ready for these reactions and responding quickly you and your doctor can minimize their effect on your life. Breast cancer refers to cancer that begins in the cells within the breasts.

If cancer was found in the lymph nodes under the arm axillary lymph nodes this area may be given radiation as well. 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. Radiation therapy has side effects because it not only kills or slows the growth of cancer cells it can also affect nearby healthy cells. Most women don t notice different side effects from boost radiation than from whole breast radiation.

Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated. Radiation therapy for breast cancer uses high energy x rays protons or other particles to kill cancer cells. Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue. It can metastasize spread from the breasts to other areas of the body such as the bones and liver.