Donate Now. Our specialty is the health of Texas. July 23, DALLAS — July 23, — For year-old Marilyn Gibson, it was a no-brainer: Would she be interested in having a single dose of radiation to treat her breast cancer instead of the standard, multiple-dose treatment delivered over several weeks? Gibson elected to be part of a UT Southwestern Medical Center clinical trial testing a one-time, high-dose and highly focused radiation treatment called stereotactic radiotherapy for early-stage breast cancer.
Gibson said. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center , said standard radiation treatment for breast cancer ranges from radiation treatments delivered to the entire breast over a period of three to six weeks. While some medical centers are treating breast cancer with a single dose of radiation at the time of surgery, the protocol being tested at UT Southwestern delivers the radiation treatment after surgery has been completed, Dr. Rahimi said. Doing radiation intraoperatively, you are not always sure what the final pathology is going to be.
After the surgery, the patient returns to the medical center for the placement of small gold seeds called fiducials, which are guides for where the radiation needs to go.
About a week later, the patient returns for the treatment, which is a very high dose of radiation delivered to a very focal, localized area. Gibson said her treatment was painless and pleasant. I actually went to sleep twice in my process. Radiation treatment to your head and neck can increase your chances of getting cavities. This is especially true if you have dry mouth as a result of treatment. Before starting radiation, talk to your cancer care team about whether you should get a complete check-up with your dentist.
Ask your dentist to talk with your radiation doctor before you start treatment. If you have one or more problem teeth, your dentist may suggest removing them before you start treatment. If you wear dentures, they may no longer fit well because of swollen gums. If your dentures cause sores, you may need to stop wearing them until your radiation therapy is done to keep sores from getting infected. Your dentist may want to see you during your radiation therapy to check your teeth, talk to you about caring for your mouth and teeth, and help you deal with any problems.
Most likely, you will be told to:. If you have radiation to the breast , it can affect your heart or lungs as well causing other side effects. To avoid irritating the skin around the breast, women should try to go without wearing a bra whenever they can.
If your shoulders feel stiff, ask your cancer care team about exercises to keep your shoulder moving freely. Breast soreness, color changes, and fluid build-up lymphedema will most likely go away a month or 2 after you finish radiation therapy. If fluid build-up continues to be a problem, ask your cancer care team what steps you can take. See Lymphedema for more information. Radiation therapy may cause long-term changes in the breast.
Your skin may be slightly darker, and pores may be larger and more noticeable. The skin may be more or less sensitive and feel thicker and firmer than it was before treatment.
Sometimes the size of your breast changes — it may become larger because of fluid build-up or smaller because of scar tissue. These side effects may last long after treatment. If you do see changes in breast size, shape, appearance, or texture after this time, tell your cancer care team about them right away. This is not as common today as it was in the past, because modern radiation therapy equipment allows doctors to better focus the radiation beams on the area with cancer, with less affect to other areas.
Rib fractures: In rare cases, radiation therapy may weaken the ribs, which could lead to a fracture. Be sure you understand what to look for and tell your cancer care team if you notice any of these side effects. Heart complications: Radiation to the breast can also affect the heart.
It can cause hardening of the arteries which can make you more likely to have a heart attack later on , heart valve damage, or irregular heartbeats. Lung damage radiation pneumonitis : Getting radiation to the breast can sometimes cause an inflammation of the lungs, which is called radiation pneumonitis. Damage to the nerves in the shoulder and arm: Radiation to the breast can sometimes damage some of the nerves to the arm. This is called brachial plexopathy and can lead to numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the shoulder, arm, and hand.
If your treatment includes brachytherapy internal radiation implants , you might notice breast tenderness, tightness, redness, and bruising. You may also have some of the same side effects that happen with external radiation treatment. Let your cancer care team know about any problems you notice. Getting radiation to the middle portion of the chest can raise your risk of heart disease.
This risk increases with higher radiation doses and larger treatment areas in this part of your body. Radiation can also cause hardening of the arteries which can make you more likely to have a heart attack later on , heart valve damage, or irregular heartbeats.
You will need to take precautions to protect others from radiation exposure. Your radiation therapy team will provide these instructions. The need for such precautions ends when:. During your treatment, your radiation oncologist will check how well it is working. Typically, this will happen at least once a week. If needed, they may adjust your treatment plan. Many people experience fatigue, sensitive skin at the site of radiation exposure, and emotional distress during radiation therapy.
It is important to rest and take care of yourself during radiation therapy. Consider these ways to care of yourself:. Learn more about coping during treatment. And, be sure to talk with your health care team about how you are feeling throughout your treatment period.
Once treatment ends, you will have follow-up appointments with the radiation oncologist. It's important to continue your follow-up care, which includes:. As your body heals, you will need fewer follow-up visits. Ask your doctor for a written record of your treatment. This is a helpful resource as you manage your long-term health care.
Are there special services for patients receiving radiation therapy, such as certain parking spaces or parking rates? Will special precautions be needed to protect my family and others from radiation exposure during my treatment period?
This 1-page printable PDF gives an introduction to radiation therapy, including an overview of the different types of radiation, what to expect during treatment, possible side effects, terms to know, and questions to ask the health care team. Who is on my radiation therapy team? This team may include the following health care professionals: Radiation oncologist. A radiation oncology nurse plays many roles, including: Answering questions about treatments Monitoring your health during treatment Helping you manage side effects of treatment Medical radiation physicist.
These professionals include: Social workers Nutritionists or dietitians Rehabilitation therapists, such as physical therapists or speech therapists Dentists Learn more about the oncology team. What happens before radiation therapy treatment? You can expect these steps before beginning treatment: Meeting with your radiation oncologist. Signing the document means: Your team gave you information about your treatment options.
You choose to have radiation therapy. You give permission for the health care professionals to deliver the treatment. You understand the treatment is not guaranteed to give the intended results. These may include: A computed tomography CT scan Magnetic resonance imaging MRI An x-ray Depending on the area being treated, you may receive a small mark on your skin. You may also be fitted for an immobilization device. This could include using: Tape Foam sponges Headrests Molds Plaster casts These items help you stay in the same position throughout treatment.
What happens during radiation therapy treatment? Two studies have found that women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer treated with a shorter whole-breast radiation schedule after lumpectomy have fewer side effects and better quality of life than women treated with the longer, traditional radiation schedule.
The studies were published online on Aug. Read the abstracts of:. After lumpectomy to remove early-stage breast cancer, radiation therapy often is used to reduce the risk of recurrence the cancer coming back. Whole-breast radiation therapy after breast cancer surgery is usually given as one treatment per day, 5 days a week, for 5 to 7 weeks. Radiation treatment schedules have been developed based on research results.
But a 5- to 7-week nearly daily commitment may be difficult for some women, especially if they live far away from a treatment center. Doctors have studied a new radiation therapy schedule that involves fewer treatments with higher doses of radiation at each treatment, but the same total radiation dose.
So the new schedule puts the same radiation dose into a 3- to 5-week schedule.
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