Adverse Effects Of Radiation Therapy For Breast Cancer

Doctors look for ways to reduce side effects caused by radiation therapy while still using the doses needed to kill cancer cells. Doctors may recommend this therapy in combination with others such as surgery and chemotherapy.

What Are The Side Effects Of Radiation Therapy For Breast Cancer
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Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated.

Adverse effects of radiation therapy for breast cancer. Not everyone experiences side effects of radiation. Your provider may be able to suggest a hospital social worker patient navigator psychologist or support group to help ease anxiety related to radiation therapy or breast cancer. Just as the benefits of radiation are gradual youll usually see a gradual onset of 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. Radiation therapy is often one of the treatments used for breast cancer. The main types of radiation therapy that can be used to treat breast cancer are external beam radiation therapy ebrt and brachytherapy.

One way to reduce side effects is by using radioprotective drugs. Learn more about possible side effects. Most often side effects from radiation therapy begin within a few weeks of starting treatment and go away.

Learn more about what to. Radiation therapy for breast cancer uses high energy x rays protons or other particles to kill cancer cells. Radiation can be an effective treatment for breast cancer but it does have side effects.

Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue. Rapidly growing cells such as cancer cells are more susceptible to the effects of radiation therapy than are normal cells. Download ascos free radiation therapy fact sheet.

Many patients are surprised to discover that having radiation therapy is less difficult than they expected though the radiation used to damage cancer in your body can also damage healthy cells. There are multiple ways radiation therapy is used and even different types of delivery systems. This is the most common type of radiation therapy for women with breast cancer.

These drugs are given before radiation treatment to protect certain normal tissues in the treatment area. This 1 page printable pdf gives an introduction to radiation therapy including an overview of the different types of radiation what to expect during treatment possible side effects terms to know and questions to ask the health care team. A machine outside the body focuses the radiation on the area affected by the cancer.

Learn more about support groups.

New Breast Cancer Radiation Therapy Shortens Treatment Reduces
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