What are the side effects of radiation therapy for breast cancer?
Side effects of radiotherapy
- Skin reactions.
- Swelling of the breast.
- Pain in the breast or chest area.
- Hair loss in the armpit.
- Sore throat.
- Tiredness and fatigue.
- Lymphoedema.
- Change in breast shape, size and colour.
How long does it take to heal after radiation for breast cancer? Skin reactions from radiation therapy are usually strongest 1 or 2 weeks after you finish radiation therapy and then start to heal. It often takes 3 to 4 weeks for skin reactions to heal. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact your radiation oncologist or nurse.
How long do side effects from breast cancer radiation last? Most side effects go away within a few months of ending treatment. Some side effects may continue after treatment ends because it takes time for the healthy cells to recover from radiation. Side effects might limit your ability to do some things.
What is the most common side effect of radiation?
Treatment areas and possible side effects
| Part of the body being treated |
Possible side effects |
| Brain |
Fatigue Hair loss Memory or concentration problems Nausea and vomiting Skin changes Headache Blurry vision |
| Breast |
Fatigue Hair loss Skin changes Swelling (edema) Tenderness |
What are the side effects of radiation therapy for breast cancer? – Additional Questions
What are 5 harmful effects of radiation?
Here are a few common health effects or harmful effects of radiation on the human body.
- Hair. Loss of hair fall occurs when exposure to radiation is higher than 200 rems.
- Heart and Brain. Intense exposure to radiation from 1000 to 5000 rems will affect the functioning of the heart.
- Thyroid.
- Blood System.
- Reproductive Tract.
What should I avoid after radiation?
Avoid raw vegetables and fruits, and other hard, dry foods such as chips or pretzels. It’s also best to avoid salty, spicy or acidic foods if you are experiencing these symptoms. Your care team can recommend nutrient-based oral care solutions if you are experiencing mucositis or mouth sores caused by cancer treatment.
What is the most common acute side effect of radiation treatment?
Fatigue is the most common acute side effect of radiation therapy. It is believed to be caused by the large amount of energy that is used by the body to heal itself in response to radiation therapy. Most people begin to feel fatigued about 2 weeks after radiation treatments begin.
How soon after radiation do side effects start?
Reactions to the radiation therapy often start during the second or third week of treatment. Or, they may last for several weeks after the final treatment. Some side effects may be long term. Talk with your treatment team about what to expect.
How long can you live after radiation therapy?
Median follow-up time for this report was 41 months (range=14.6-59.0). Following treatment with stereotactic radiation, more than eight in ten patients (84%) survived at least 1 year, and four in ten (43%) survived 5 years or longer. The median overall survival (OS) time was 42.3 months.
Which is worse chemo or radiation?
The radiation beams change the DNA makeup of the tumor, causing it to shrink or die. This type of cancer treatment has fewer side effects than chemotherapy since it only targets one area of the body.
Is radiation worth the risk?
Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a highly effective cancer treatment with wide-ranging uses. Radiation therapy leads to cancer cure in many patients (either alone or with other treatments) and relieves symptoms or prolongs survival in more advanced cancers.
How many sessions of radiotherapy is normal?
Most people have 5 treatments each week (1 treatment a day from Monday to Friday, with a break at the weekend). But sometimes treatment may be given more than once a day or over the weekend.
What does radiation fatigue feel like?
Feeling very tired and lacking energy (fatigue) for day-to-day activities is the most common side effect of radiation therapy to any area of the body. During treatment, your body uses a lot of energy dealing with the effects of radiation on normal cells.
When do radiation side effects peak?
The side effects of radiotherapy usually peak up to two weeks after treatment has finished. The effects of radiotherapy continue developing, and it may take a further couple of weeks to several months for you to feel normal, depending on the area of the body that has been treated.
How do you beat radiation fatigue?
Tips for boosting or saving energy
- Drink plenty of water.
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Have short naps if you need to.
- If you’re working, see if you can reduce your hours or work from home if possible.
- Ask family and friends for help with things like shopping, housework, gardening, and collecting the children from school.
What is the success rate of radiation therapy?
Success rates of around 90% or higher can be achieved with either approach.
Is 6 weeks of radiation a lot?
Treatments are usually given five days a week for six to seven weeks. If the goal of treatment is palliative (to control symptoms) treatment will last 2-3 weeks in length. Using many small doses (fractions) for daily radiation, rather than a few large doses, helps to protect the healthy cells in the treatment area.
How much weight do you lose during radiation treatment?
Weight changes during the radiotherapy were as follows: 78.7% of patients lost weight, 8.5% gained weight (0.7 −3.6 kg), and 12.8% had no weight change. Weight loss was significant (t-test two-paired, p-value <0.001) and ranged from 1.1% to 18.9%.
Does radiation therapy shorten lifespan?
Chemotherapy and radiation are two of the most common treatments for cancer. But these and other therapies can also cause survivors to age faster and die sooner, suggest new study findings published in the journal ESMO Open, reports HealthDay.
Does breast radiation make you sick?
Radiation to the breast can sometimes damage some of the nerves to the arm. This is called brachial plexopathy and can lead to numbness, pain, and weakness in the shoulder, arm, and hand. Radiation to the underarm lymph nodes might cause lymphedema, a type of pain and swelling in the arm or chest.
Does 5 year survival rate mean you have 5 years to live?
Most importantly, five-year survival doesn’t mean you will only live five years. Instead it relates to the percentage of people in research studies who were still alive five years after diagnosis.
