Anyone have radiation treatment for breast cancer?

Question

Do you have any reactions from the treatment. Like being tired, or anything else?

Answer 1

Radiation can cause burning of the skin and fatigue as well as skin breakdown. The effects may not take place at first, but are cumulative and may last for up to a few weeks after the actual radiation treatments end.

Answer 2

I'm a radiation therapist and I've seen many breast cancer patients. Through my experience, most people just have a mild skin reaction (erythema/itchiness) that can usually be dealt with a prescription cream. This tends to occur in the 2nd week of treatment. Fatigue varies depending on the individual, but it tends to hit harder later in the treatment. It is also possible (but unlikely) to develop a cough if your lung is partially in the treatment field (sometimes it is unavoidable).

Radiation is cumulative so the side effects tend to get worse as the treatment progresses. Typically, people do not feel anything for the first 2 weeks of treatment. The side effects will peak several days after your course of treatment has finished. The usually subside around 10 days after treatment has finished.

Keep in mind that everybody is a bit different. Some people can go throught the entire treatment with no side effects. Others have such terrible reactions that the treatment has to be halted. it all depends on your skin sensitivity, the size of your breast (larger ones tend to have worse skin reactions), if you are having your supraclavicular/axillary nodes treated as well (can have a skin reaction in the shoulder/neck area), and the modality of the treatment (some methods are more skin sparing than others).

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I had breast cancer 2 years ago and had chemo and radiation. I was able to work every day during radiation. I would go to be earlier than my usual time but I was able to do most everything else. The skin in the area being radiated does get very sensitive and can get radiation burns, like a bad sunburn where you skin can peel. They will give you some ointment to keep the skin moist, which will help with this side effect and you also need to avoid using deoderant while getting treatment.

Good luck to you!

Answer 4

it is not always very curablebecuase there are a hundred different kinds of breast cancer. Some of the time radiation causes burning, skin irritation, and sometimes weakens bones.

They have good creams to put on.

Also, youcan get a PET/CT scan to see if the treatment is working. This is a noninvasive procedure that scans you from your head to knees looking for cancer. Also when they beat the cancer the docs can use the test to make sure the cancerhas not cpme back.

FYI. PET/CT scans are 25% more accurate than Cat scans.

Answer 5

Although I am definitely no doctor, but if the cancer was stage 0, the size of a dot, I don't see why there is any need to even take radiation. Stage 0 cancer doesn't spread. And if he said that cancer was all taken out during surgery, i don't really see why she would have to take it.

Answer 6

I am a 32 year old one year survivor. I had radiation from December 05 through February 06. Besides burning my biggest problem was fatigue. Compared to chemotherapy though, radiation was a walk in the park. Make sure you ask your doctor for a burn cream or lotion early on because you can walk out of the office and think you are fine, but it keeps on burning after you leave the office. God bless and keep you as you make it through this ordeal.

Answer 7

I haven't but I know several people that have choosen not to get radiation and gone with the natural route and are living healthy life's. My sister had cemo and it cured her lukemia but gave her breast cancer. She did not do radiation but instead start taking supplement. Really good expensive ones. That was 12 years ago she's doing great.

Answer 8

I had radiation for my breast cancer. I got a very bad burn but used Xeroform strips on it and that helped a lot. I worked through rads but was pretty tired by the last few weeks. I was very diligent about using the lotions they suggested, but I still got burned pretty bad. Did they talk to you about switching deodorants? Ask them if they haven't. Also ask about the Xeroform strips, along with helping with the pain, they helped me heal faster. Good luck!

Answer 9

Sorry about the breast cancer. I'm devasted, I'm a thyroid cancer survivor at 24, and Friday I found out that my aunt, who took a role as my mother when my mother died, is dying of breast cancer. I guess her doctor neglected her and it metastasized everywhere.

As far as radition goes, we both got nautious...and tired...

Answer 10

I understand that is different for everyone. I am wondering the same thing. I will have mine starting sometime in November.