| Radiation therapy, which destroys cancerous cells, is | | | | extensive follow-up care. This will include regular visits |
| probably the biggest single treatment method of | | | | to the Doctor to check the day-to-day progress of |
| cancer in the world today. Sufferers of breast cancer | | | | the patient as well as managing any problems that |
| can actually be free of cancer after receiving | | | | arise. |
| radiation treatment. Radiation therapy can be given | | | | In some cases, medical care being administered |
| alone or as part of a sequence of treatments such | | | | before or during radiation therapy will need to |
| as chemotherapy or operational surgery. | | | | continue such as dietary needs, exercise plans or |
| It is vitally important as a patient to understand | | | | medicine. |
| radiation therapy, the uses it has, the side effects it | | | | Some patients may continue to experience continued |
| can cause and what will happen after treatment. | | | | discomfort of the skin around the treated area. This |
| All cells, either cancerous or healthy, continually split | | | | must be looked after gently with no tight clothes or |
| to make new cells. Cancerous cells go through this | | | | dressings worn around it, with the area to be lightly |
| process significantly quicker than normal cells which | | | | padded dry after washing instead of wiping. Patients |
| allows the disease to spread. | | | | should rest often while the body works to build up |
| Radiation therapy involves the accurate delivery of | | | | healthy supplies of skin tissue again. |
| high energy particles or waves in large doses to the | | | | For patients that continue to experience prolonged |
| cancerous cells to stop them multiplying by causing | | | | period of fatigue, rest should once again be on the |
| irreversible damage to them. The radiation breaks a | | | | agenda and this can last for several months after |
| strand within the DNA molecule inside cancerous cells | | | | treatment. Patients that continue to feel pain will |
| to prevent growth. This will have an effect on | | | | need to visit a Doctor who may refer them back to |
| healthy surrounding cells but these seem to fully | | | | the hospital if it fails to subside. |
| recover from the effects of radiation therapy. | | | | There is also an emotional price to be paid after |
| Chemotherapy is different in that the whole body is | | | | having breast cancer and radiation therapy. This can |
| exposed to agents that fight cancers whereas | | | | lead to patients suffering from depression, anger, |
| radiation therapy can be performed on a more local | | | | grief, anxiety, stress and many other strong |
| area of the body. | | | | emotional feelings. If these feeling become |
| As far as side effects go, breast cancer patients can | | | | overbearing, seeking the help of trained mental health |
| experience several things either during or after | | | | care specialists is an absolute necessity. |
| treatment. These may include fatigue, difficulty or | | | | Recovering from cancer can be a long, tiring, painful |
| pain when swallowing, shortness of breath, loss of | | | | and emotionally exhausting experience. However, |
| appetite, coughing, changes in the pigmentation of | | | | radiation therapy can frequently kill the cancerous |
| the skin, swelling or loss of hair in the treated area. | | | | cells on a long-term basis with patients living long, |
| Some patients suffer no side effects whatsoever. | | | | happy and pain-free lives for many years afterwards. |
| After radiation therapy, a patient must undergo fairly | | | | |