Current radiotherapy techniques such as conformal radiotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy imrt accurately shape the radiotherapy beams to fit the cancer.
Side effects of radiotherapy for breast cancer uk.
If you are worried about late effects talk to your cancer doctor or specialist nurse.
Doctors may recommend this therapy in combination with others such as surgery and chemotherapy.
Shrinking of breast tissue.
Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue.
Radiotherapy for breast cancer.
Radiotherapy for breast cancer can make you tired and might cause other side effects.
Radiation therapy has side effects because it not only kills or slows the growth of cancer cells it can also affect nearby healthy cells.
Find out more about the radiotherapy side effects at breast cancer care.
If you re getting radiation therapy to the breast.
Side effects tend to start a week after the radiotherapy begins.
Radiation to the breast can cause.
Radiotherapy is more accurate than it has ever been.
Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated.
Side effects of radiotherapy include skin reactions breast swelling and tiredness.
Side effects of treatment.
Radiotherapy to the breast may cause side effects that happen months or years after radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy uses high energy x rays to kill cancer cells.
Breast swelling from fluid build up lymphedema.
Skin irritation dryness and color changes.
If you have radiation to the breast it can affect your heart or lungs as well causing other side effects.
This is due to a side effect called radiation fibrosis.
This means less healthy tissue receives radiation and so there are fewer side effects.
This side effect is usually mild.
They are called late effects.
After radiotherapy the breast might feel hard and less stretchy.
Learn more about possible side effects.
Newer ways of giving radiotherapy are helping reduce the risk of these late effects happening.
Radiation can be an effective treatment for breast cancer but it does have side effects.
Sometimes the breast can shrink over time.
This is because radiotherapy can make the breast tissue contract so that the breast gradually gets smaller.
Find out about the possible side effects of radiotherapy for advanced breast cancer.
But they usually begin to improve after around 2 weeks or so.