Radiation can be an effective treatment for breast cancer but it does have side effects.
Side effects of boost radiation treatment.
The side effects of radiation therapy depend on the area of the body that receives radiation.
Radiation therapists who operate the radiation equipment and administer your treatments.
Below are the most common side effects of radiation therapy to the breast or chest wall.
You may have all some or none of these.
Most people get their boost dose with a special form of external radiation called electrons.
They re usually gone within a few weeks after treatment ends.
Doctors may recommend this therapy in combination with others such as surgery and chemotherapy.
Some people develop side effects from radiation therapy.
Radiation therapy has side effects because it not only kills or slows the growth of cancer cells it can also affect nearby healthy cells.
The type and how severe they are depend on many factors.
Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated.
The most common early side effects are fatigue feeling tired and skin changes.
The goal is to destroy or damage the cancer without hurting too many healthy cells.
Radiation therapy treats cancer by using high energy waves to kill tumor cells.
A radiation oncology nurse nurse practitioner or physician assistant who answers questions about the treatments and side effects and helps you manage your health during treatment.
Late side effects can happen months to years after you receive radiation therapy.
While the bulk of radiation therapy focuses on the whole breast a boost targets the area where the primary tumor was located.
Early and late effects of radiation therapy.
A radiation boost for breast cancer sounds like what it is an extra radiation dose given after the regular sessions of radiation are complete.
Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue.
Radiation boost treatments are given after the regular sessions of radiation are complete.
These include the dose of radiation the number of treatments and overall health.
These side effects tend to be short term mild and treatable.
Learn more about possible side effects.
This treatment can cause side.
Women who are 40 years old or younger at time of treatment get the most benefit from a radiation boost but patients of all ages will have a lower risk of recurrence if they receive a booster treatment.
The goal is to reduce the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence.
Early side effects happen shortly after you receive radiation therapy.
Late side effects of radiation therapy may be permanent.