Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the cells of the breast. It is the most common cancer among women worldwide. It can also affect men, but this is rare.
Radiation Therapy and Breast Cancer
The best person to talk to about radiation therapy for breast cancer is a radiation oncologist. A radiation oncologist is a specialist doctor who is part of the team that takes care of people having radiation therapy.
You can ask your doctor for a referral to a radiation oncologist to learn if radiation therapy is an option for you.
The Treatment Team
Doctors make a treatment plan for each person based on the:
- type of cancer
- where the cancer is
- what other treatments have been tried
- the person’s health.
The type of treatment a person gets is worked out by a team of doctors and health professionals often called a Multidisciplinary Team.
A highly trained radiation oncology team takes care of people having radiation therapy. This includes radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, medical physicists and radiation oncology nurses.
Treatments for Breast Cancer
Treatments for breast cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy.
The choice and order of treatments given will depend on the type of breast cancer, whether it has spread and personal factors.
Types of Radiation Therapy Used for Breast Cancer
Radiation therapy helps to make sure that any cancer cells left behind after surgery are destroyed. This reduces the chances of the breast cancer coming back and improves the chance of cure.
Radiation therapy can be used to treat the remaining breast tissue or chest wall after surgery. Sometimes an extra ‘boost’ of radiation to the area of the breast where the cancer was removed is also recommended.
If there is a chance the cancer could spread, areas around the breast that contain lymph nodes, such as in the armpit, above the collar bone or under the breast bone may also be treated with radiation therapy.
External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) is the most common type of radiation therapy used in breast cancer.
Radiation oncologists often use Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT), which are advanced types of external beam radiation therapy, to carefully deliver radiation to the areas that need to be treated.
The treatment team use a machine called a linear accelerator to do external beam radiation therapy from outside the body.
These advanced techniques allow the radiation oncologist to target the radiation on the cancer while limiting radiation to healthy parts of the body.
Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) is used during radiation therapy for breast cancer.
This is when patients take a deep breath and hold it to move their lungs and heart away from the breast.
This breathing protects the heart and lungs from radiation damage while ensuring effective treatment of the breast cancer.
People usually get radiation treatment once a day, 5 days a week from Monday to Friday. The length of treatment for breast cancer can vary from 1-5 weeks, and your radiation oncologist will decide this.
Brachytherapy is another type of radiation therapy that can be used for breast cancer.
This is when radioactive seeds, or sources, are placed into the breast tissue to deliver radiation to the tumour while reducing exposure to healthy breast tissue.
General Information About Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is more effective with fewer side effects than ever before.
Recent advances mean radiation oncologists can effectively treat the cancer while getting less radiation on healthy body parts. This means much fewer side effects.
Side effects from radiation therapy vary between people, even for those having the same treatment.
While some people feel no side effects, some feel mild side effects, such as tiredness or skin redness during and/or just after treatment. These usually get better within a few weeks.
The treatment team will offer advice and medicine to help with side effects.
Serious side effects that start later (months to years after the radiation therapy) are rare.
Before starting treatment, your radiation oncologist will talk to you about side effects and answer your questions.
The side effects of radiation treatment can be split into 2 groups:
- Early side effects which occur during and shortly after radiation treatment.
- Late side effects which can occur months to years after radiation treatment.
For more information, go to the Potential Side Effects page.
Early Side Effects of Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer
Early side effects of radiation therapy may include:
Fatigue: This is very common in the second half of treatment and varies between people. Fatigue may continue for several weeks after treatment.
Skin reddening and irritation: The skin can become red and itchy and this may get worse during treatment. Sometimes the skin under the breast or arm pit peels due to rubbing in these areas. This is usually worst 7-14 days after treatment ends. Occasionally there may be aches and pains in the breast or chest wall, but they are usually mild.
Loss of hair: Hair in the armpit may fall out during or after radiation treatment. If this happens it may be permanent.
Late Side Effects of radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer
Late side effects vary between people and can happen a few months to a few years after treatment.
These side effects may never occur, occur once, continue over time, or come and go.
Inflammation of the lung (pneumonitis): This is a rare side effect that can occur 6 weeks to 6 months after treatment. Symptoms include a dry cough and shortness of breath.
Breast swelling: This is usually mild but may take a few months to get better.
Skin changes: If long term skin changes occur after treatment, they are usually minor. The skin may be a little lighter or darker in the parts that were treated. Tiny blood vessels under the skin may swell up and be more noticeable over time. The treated breast may feel firmer and look different to the other one.
Rib fracture: Radiation can weaken the ribs under the treated breast or chest wall, which can increase the risk of a fracture. This is very rare.
Lung fibrosis: This may occur in the small amount of lung that receives radiation just under the breast and chest wall where the lung tissues become thickened. This may be visible on a chest x-ray but is unlikely to cause symptoms.
Heart: If the left breast or chest wall is treated, there is a low risk of damage to the heart and a small increased risk of heart disease. Radiation treatment techniques such as Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) are used to reduce the amount of radiation to the heart.
Swelling of the arm: This called lymphoedema. The risk of lymphoedema is around 5% if the lymph nodes above the collar bone and/or armpit are treated. If lymphoedema occurs, it is usually mild to moderate but can sometimes be severe. In the case of lymphoedema, it’s helpful to get advice from a lymphoedema specialist. Treatment may include exercises, compression wear and massage.
Damage to the nerves that control the arm and hand: This is a very rare side effect that may occur if the lymph nodes above the collar bone and/or armpit are treated. Symptoms include pain, numbness and weakness in the arm and hand.
Second cancers: Cancers caused by radiation therapy are a very rare side effect that can occur more than 10 years after treatment.
People treated for breast cancer should continue to see their doctor regularly and let their doctor know of any symptoms.
Other Useful Resources for Breast Cancer
Find additional information about cancer types, research groups, and support groups.
Radiation Oncologist
The best person to talk to is a radiation oncologist. You can ask your doctor for a referral to find out if radiation treatment is right for you.
GPs and Health Professionals
Information for any health professional involved in a patient's cancer care with a particular focus on primary care providers.
Talking to Your Doctor
Your GP or other doctors in the cancer team can organise a referral to a radiation oncologist.
Treatment Centres
Search and find your closest Radiation Oncology Treatment Centre.
