Hello đź‘‹ community
I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and while it has been surgically removed, I’m now entering the next phase of treatment. I would like to know if anyone has experience with partial radiotherapy and what side effects—both short-term and long-term—you may have encountered. I'm feeling a bit anxious about this process.
Hilarazon​ as the others have said i found the radiation the easiest part It started once my surgery site was healed enough. You didn’t mention which breast. Mine was left breast and 25 rounds I did the deep breath hold. The sessions are over pretty quick.
there are things that can be used to protect your skin from burning. Metapil film and StrataX ( does cost out of pocket).
I only used sorbolene cream and soap free washing. Did burn and blister towards the end but 25 rounds is a lot. And it was total sweep of the left breast and armpit.
tiredness kicked in at about rad 19 and continued for about 2-3weeks after finishing. Along with the warm tight feeling. advice is Keep moisturising.
check with the radiation nurses as to what they recommend.
If anything comes up during your treatment we can do our best to help you through.
larazon you may also like to check out our article regarding radiotherapy Radiotherapy for early breast cancer. We also have a good webcast you can watch The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of DCIS and early breast cancer – Which explores the use for radiotherapy including the benefits for the treatment of DCIS and early breast cancer, current and emerging techniques of radiotherapy delivery, the planning process and the factors that influence delivery, side effects and ways to manage them, follow up care and the costs associated with treatment.
I am sorry about your diagnosis. My experience with radiation therapy following a lumpectomy in the Left breast was straightforward.
Radiation therapy to the left breast has a slight risk factor associated with ensuring the heart doesn’t get zapped. In my case this involved learning a breathing exercise that had the effect of keeping the heart well out of the line of radiation. The radiation treatment is very precision based and in my case I had nine little dots tattooed on my chest and just under the armpit that provided coordinates so each treatment was exact.
My side effects were similar to those described byarpie​ but I did feel fatigued and made time to rest each day throughout the 15 day treatment. I think my fatigue was partly due to the radiation being on the back of my neo adjuvant chemotherapy, catching COVID and then having surgery so I think it was just that I was probably already pretty depleted by other things.
After the radiation therapy the breast does continue to feel sensitive and warm for a few weeks. I am not sure if it was from the surgery or the radiation but a few months after completing it I found I had a bit of tightness and cording and I consulted a specialist physio who focused on breast cancer care and she was able to provide laser therapy and exercises that helped considerably.
Wishing you all the best with this next phase!
Hi larazon​
I had a lumpectomy on my right breast, followed by Radiotherapy - they target the immediate surgery area and it is very accurate. So only my surgery site (which was around the nipple area) was 'targeted' .... the radiation is used to mop up any randoms that may not have been removed in the surgery - so a definite benefit to have done, I reckon.
I had 4 weeks of Mon-Fri Rads, plus 2 boosters at the end .... I was able to have mine in the 'face down' position, and it was targeted from underneath by the Rads machine! Most have it 'face up'.
I had some redness (and warmth) in the targeted area - but applying lotions after each session & again in the evening, helped reduce the redness ... I had a bit of skin 'flaking' - but no real peeling. I had the odd 'shooting pain' and the area was a bit itchy now & then, but that all settled down. I continued with the lotions for another 4 weeks after finishing treatment, as the rads 'continues' to work on the area for a while, making it feel warm to the touch for some weeks.
Some people can feel fatigued during and after the treatment, but I didn't have that.
To be honest, I found the radiation to be the easiest of my 3 treatments (the other being my surgery and after rads, the Aromatase Inhibitors (AI tablets).
So please, don't get too anxious about it. The staff are very caring & do their best to put you at ease ... and the actual treatment usually only takes about 15mins ..... tho sometimes the initial 'setting up' may take a little while.
Take care & all the best xx
