Radiation therapy is a critical component in the management of breast cancer. This treatment uses high-energy radiation to target and destroy cancer cells, often complementing surgery or chemotherapy
Radiation therapy for Breast Cancer
Radiation therapy is a critical component in the management of breast cancer. This treatment uses high-energy radiation to target and destroy cancer cells, often complementing surgery or chemotherapy
What is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer
is a common disease that affects people who are born with a female gender
assignment (AFAB). Tumors are formed when abnormal cells in the breast grow out
of control. Since tumors can move from the breast to other regions of the body,
around 80% of cases of breast cancer are invasive.
What causes breast cancer?
Breast cells can transform into cancerous cells that expand and multiply to form tumors, which is how experts know breast cancer occurs. They do not know what causes this change. On the other hand, evidence from studies indicates that several risk factors might raise your risk of breast cancer. Among them are:
55 yars of age or older
Sex: Compared to males and AMAB, women and those AFAB have a significantly higher chance of developing this disease.
Family history: You are more likely to have breast cancer if any of your parents, siblings, children, or other close relatives already have the disease.
Genetics: Inherited genetic alterations are responsible for up to 15% of cases of breast cancer.
he BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most often mutated genes.
Smoking: The use of tobacco products has been connected to a wide range of cancers, including breast cancer.
Drinking alcohol-containing drinks: Studies suggest that consuming alcohol-containing beverages may raise the risk of breast cancer.
Being overweight.
Radiation exposure: You have an increased risk of developing breast cancer if you have ever had radiation therapy, particularly to the head, neck, or chest.
Hormone replacement therapy: Individuals who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are more likely to receive a diagnosis of the illness.
What is radiation therapy for breast cancer?
High-powered X-rays are used in radiation therapy for breast cancer to destroy or harm cancerous cells in the breast. To remove tumors, breast surgeons and surgical oncologists specialists in cancer frequently perform breast cancer surgery. To kill any remaining cancerous cells, radiation treatment is then managed by radiation oncologists. This therapy may be used to relieve symptoms of breast cancer or symptoms from other parts of the body in people with metastatic breast cancer.
Types of radiation therapy for breast cancer
Radiationtreatment can be performed in a variety of
methods. Your radiation oncologist will select the most effective technique
based on the kind, location, and other aspects of cancer.
External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) involves the application of
high-energy radiation beams to your breast using a device known as a linear
accelerator. For one to six weeks, the majority of patients receive this
therapy five days a week. Intensity-modulated radiation treatment (IMRT) and
stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) are two types of EBRT.
Brachytherapy An
internal radiation therapy that is performed by inserting a small radioactive
seed into the tumor location by a radiation oncologist using a catheter. The
seed emits radiation for a few minutes until your provider takes it out. For
five days, you receive two treatments each day.
Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT): This is a procedure your surgeon does in the operating room following the removal of the breast tumor but before the surgical incision is closed. They expose the exposed breast tissue to a high dosage of radiation in the tumor location.
What are the treatment side effects?
Radiation therapy usually has no side effects right away, although there might be consequences in the long run Possible short-term adverse effects include:
Fatigue: Most patients have minor weariness during therapy, which subsides a few weeks following the end of the course of medication.
Skin irritation: You may notice some skin flakes and feel like your skin is extremely dry. Your skin can peel. Some people get moist desquamation, a skin ailment that usually affects the folds that are found between the breast and the arm or under the breast. You might have blisters and peeling skin.
Color changes: Fair-skinned people may have skin that seems sunburned. You could notice that your skin seems darker than normal if you have dark skin.
Breast discomfort: Some people experience either a slow aching sensation or a sudden, stabbing pain. Usually, the discomfort comes and goes. You can have aching breasts or nipples.
Possible long-term negative effects include:
Telangiectasias, or spider veins: These are common and not cause for concern.
reast size change: Your breasts may get bigger or smaller.
Lymphedema: Swelling that affects the arm on the side where the breast cancer is located occurs in certain individuals who receive radiation therapy to the lymph node locations for breast cancer.
Fatigue that doesn't go away: Some patients experience noticeable weariness weeks or months after finishing their therapy
Radiation treatment seldom causes hair loss from the head, unlike other types of chemotherapy; nonetheless, it can cause armpit hair loss.
What are the risks or complications of this treatment?
Chest pain is one of the rare side effects of radiation treatment for breast cancer. Possible issues consist of:
Broken ribs Heart valve problems, arrhythmias, and atherosclerosis—a hardening of the arteries—are all examples of radiation-induced heart disease or cardiotoxicity.
Fibrosis of the lungs.
rachial Plexopathy: a shoulder and arm nerve injury Angiosarcomas are newly emerging tumors that form in the blood and lymphatic vessel walls.
Symptoms Indicating the Need for Radiation Therapy
Signs of Breast Cancer
Lump in the Breast: A noticeable, often hard mass that may be painless.
Changes in Breast Shape or Size: Alterations in appearance or texture.
Nipple Discharge: Unusual discharge, particularly if it is bloody or clear.
Symptoms During and After Radiation Therapy
Skin Irritation: Redness, tenderness, or peeling in the treated area.
Fatigue: A common side effect due to the body's response to radiation.
Swelling: In the breast or chest area, often temporary.
In Conclusion, for both early-stage and more advanced breast cancer, radiation therapy is a popular and successful treatment. Additionally, it could lessen the signs of metastatic breast cancer. Research indicates that this therapy prevents the recurrence of breast cancer. Both short-term and long-term negative effects are possible with this medication
