Womens Health Problems - Radiation therapy involves the use of large-sized machine called a linear accelerator to deliver a large amount of energy radiation to kill cancer cells, both in the breast, chest wall, or underarm. Radiation is stopping reproduction (development) of cancer cells with minimal damage to healthy tissue. Radiation therapy has been done to improve the survival of women with breast cancer. Radiation therapy can be done at :
- After a lumpectomy or mastectomy, it can be done alone or in combination with chemotherapy, to reduce the risk of re-growth in breast cancer.
- As primary therapy for breast cancer if the surgeon believed that the tumor can not be removed safely, if the health of patients do not allow yourself to surgery or patients who do not want surgery.
- To treat cancer that has spread to the bone or brain.
- To relieve pain or other problems when the cancer reappeared.
Radiation therapy is not painful. However, some women experience side effects from these therapies, which include :
- Redness, discomfort and dryness of the skin around the irradiated area. If this happens, doctors will recommend a specific treatment. Redness may occur up to two years, until it disappeared.
- Fatigue, usually starting two or three weeks after therapy begins.
- Fatigue increased during treatment and will disappear on its own a month after the therapy ends.
- Decrease in blood cell counts. It is better to check their blood regularly, apalasi when patients also received chemotherapy.
- Some women also experience pain in the mouth or throat, dry mouth, if these areas are also illuminated.
- Call the doctor if symptoms appear unusual, such as coughing, sweating, heat, or pain that is not as usual.
- Get enough rest and eat healthy foods.
- Blood checked on a regular basis, as requested by the physician.
- Be nice to the treated areas, such as avoiding tight clothing or other things that can rub the area.
- Protect exposed areas from sun exposure.
- Gives a moisturizing cream after completion of radiation therapy.
Many advances in radiation therapy that can help women prevent the onset of long-term side effects. However, keep these side effects may occur, among others :
- Rib fractures, which tend to recover without treatment (less than 1%).
- Inflammation of the lungs, which tend recover by itself (less than 1%).
- Damage to the heart.
- Scar (scar).
- Very rarely, radiation therapy may be associated with other tumors such as sarcoma.
1. External Radiation
External beam radiation or radiation from the outside is the most common type of radiation for patients with breast cancer. Radiation is directed from the engine to the outside of the body area affected by cancer. Radiation levels are given depending on whether lumpectomy or mastectomy was done and whether or not lymph nodes are involved. If a lumpectomy had been done, the entire breast receives radiation, and the additional radiation is given to the area in the breast where the cancer has been lifted, for the prevention of recurrence in these areas. Depending on the size and extent of the cancer, radiation can be given to the chest wall and underarm area. In some cases, areas treated include supraclavicular lymph nodes (lymph nodes above the collarbone) and mammary lymph nodes (lymph nodes under the breast bone, the middle chest).
When given after surgery, external radiation is usually not administered until the tissue has healed, about 1 month. If chemotherapy is also given, radiation therapy is usually delayed until chemotherapy is completed. Before therapy begins, the team will consider carefully the radiation to determine the proper angle for the purpose of the radiation beam and the right dose of radiation. The team will make a penenda or a small tattoo on the skin of patients who used it as a benchmark for the focus of the radiation beam.
External radiation therapy is almost similar to x-ray examination, but the radiation more often. Each treatment only takes a few minutes, though the time in which the patient should wait longer needed. The most common way to deliver radiation to the breast cancer is 5 days in 1minggu for about 6-7 weeks.
2. Radiation From The Inside
Brachytherapy, also known as radiation from the inside (internal radiation), is another way to deliver radiation therapy. In lieu of external radiation that illuminates the body from the outside, radioactive seeds or grains that are placed directly into the tissue adjacent to breast cancer with less. This procedure is often used as a way to deliver additional radiation to the tumor side (along with external radiation to the whole breast), although it can also be done singly. Tumor size, location, and other factors can limit who can undergo brachytherapy.
There are two types of brachytherapy, including :
- Intracavitary brachytherapy: a method of brachytherapy consisting of small balloons pinned to a thin pipe. A deflated balloon is inserted in the room to the left of lumpectomy and filled with a liquid salt water (this can be done at the time of doing a lumpectomy or a few weeks later). The balloon and the tube left in place during treatment (with the end of the pipe is still attached to the outside of the breast). Twice a day, radioactive sources are placed into the middle of the balloon through the tube and released. This can be completed in 5 days as outpatients. Balloon is then deflated and removed.
- Interstitial brachytherapy: in this approach, perforated pipe, known as a catheter is inserted into the breast around the area that tealh do a lumpectomy and left in place within a few days. Radioactive grains in the catheters inserted in a short period of time in each day and then removed.