As per the research conducted by NCBI, it is found that radiotherapy reduces the risk of breast cancer after its first occurrence from 35.0% to 19.3%. Radiotherapy is called radiation therapy and is widely used to treat breast cancer along with other treatments to treat cancer like surgery or chemotherapy. Breast cancer radiotherapy will use high-energy X-rays or particles that will destroy the cancer-causing cells in the surrounding area of the tumour to reduce its growth.

What is Breast Cancer Radiotherapy?

Radiotherapy is best for treating breast cancer. It directly works on the cancer cells and damages those and makes it tough for those cells to multiply further. Breast cancer radiotherapy helps the body to fight against the cancer-causing cells with ease. This type of therapy has an impact on the normal cells. 

However, the normal cells can repair themselves which otherwise is impossible for the cancer cells. This type of therapy does not show miracles in a day but takes some time to work on the body and destroy the cancer cells. 

It might take a few days or weeks for the treatment to show evident results like seeing the cells die. The cells will keep dying for months after the treatment is completed. You can undergo this type of therapy after, before or during the surgery or chemotherapy.

Learn About Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer

The Radiotherapy will use high-energy rays, particles and protons that would work on the cancer cells and destroy them effectively. The best thing about this type of therapy is that it stops the growth of cancer cells and prevents them from spreading further. 

In this type of cancer, the breast where the tumour has started to grow radiates along with the lymph nodes around the arms and collarbones.

How Radiotherapy Works in Breast Cancer Treatment?

Breast cancer radiotherapy is the best medical approach embraced by doctors to treat people suffering from breast cancer. It is the treatment used to reduce the relapse of breast cancer. 

The best thing about this treatment is that it controls the growth of the tumour and makes the tumour shrink causing little damage to the adjacent tissues. 

This type of radiotherapy is given to the patients after the surgery to reduce the growth of cancer-causing cells and prevent the patient from being attacked by this tumour in the future. 

It is given in the breast, chest and lymph node areas. Despite this therapy having a lot of side effects it is the best treatment given to patients. However, the effects of radiation depend on various factors such as age, medical conditions, health, stage of cancer, spread of cancer and type.

Types of Radiotherapy to Fight Breast Cancer

The American Oncology Institute has done extensive research and has started to use advanced technologies and techniques to treat breast cancer. It is found that external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy are two types of radiation techniques widely used.

External Beam Radiation

It is the common Breast cancer radiotherapy technique that will make use of radiation to kill the cancer cells in the breast and surrounding areas. After the lumpectomy, this radiation is passed to the whole breast. 

Earlier, this treatment was given to patients every day likewise five days a week. This continues for over 5 to 6 weeks. However, with accelerated radiation approaches like hypo-fractioned radiation therapy, the whole treatment time and duration would be cut down to a greater extent. 

Many studies have proven that undergoing this type of radiotherapy treatment will reduce the recurrence of breast cancer in patients and keep the side effects at bay.

Internal Radiation Therapy

It is also known as Brachytherapy which is different from external beam therapy. In this type of treatment breast cancer therapy, needles are used. It also places the small radioactive pellets through the skin and then into the tumour tissue. It is spread throughout the nearby areas of the breast. 

Later, a series of photos will be passed through this area of the skin. It makes sure that the radiation is passed only to the area where the cancer is attacked on the human body sparing the normal tissue. However, this therapy is given based on the tumour size, location and other related factors.

Benefits of Undergoing Radiotherapy when Attacked by Breast Cancer

There are a lot of modern radiotherapy techniques. It controls the amount of radiation passed to the tumour tissue making sure that there is less harm caused to the normal tissues in the surroundings. 

Many technologies that are used such as accelerated external beam radiation have reduced the duration up to which the radiotherapy is carried out. The best thing is that effects of radiation reduce the cancer to recur again on the patient.

Brachytherapy will make sure to deliver radiation only to the specific cancerous tissue with the right margin sparing normal tissues. The treatment breast cancer radiotherapy will aid in saving the unaffected breast tissue. 

When this type of therapy is started at the early stage of cancer, the patient will be relieved from the pain and other symptoms. It also prevents bone fractures. Patients who are prone to metastatic cancer to the bone and skin or other areas can get quick relief when treated with radiation. It also protects them from being attacked by this cancer again in the same area or surroundings in the future.

Different Conditions in which Radiotherapy is given

The radiotherapy treatment is planned and customized according to the patient's age, size of tumour and cancer stage. The oncologist will decide the treatment plan for patients who will receive the radiotherapy. It is given after the surgery removing the tumour tissue. 

The surgery is also performed to completely remove the tissue to ensure that there is no residue of tissue left to cause recurrence of this cancer.

The radiotherapy is given under following conditions:

• After undergoing Lumpectomy this therapy is given to patients to reduce the recurrence of the cancer on the same breast or lymph nodes.
• After mastectomy when the tumour size is less than 5 cm
• When the tumour has spread to lymph nodes
• Metastasized cancer is spread to bones or the brain

Wrapping Up

Radiation therapy is a boon for patients with breast cancer. However, this is given only after the surgery and chemo to avoid its relapse in the future. This therapy is also given in every stage of cancer.

Radiotherapy is an effective way to reduce the risk of breast cancer from recurring after the surgery. It also reduces the symptoms caused by cancer and has spread to other body parts.

If you are observing the symptoms of breast cancer, then it is high time for you to book an appointment today for breast cancer examination.