When is breast cancer radiotherapy needed?

Radiation therapy is a method of using radiation to target tumors to kill cancer cells by destroying DNA, causing these cells to stop dividing, then necrosis and be eliminated from the body.

MSc. Dr. Vuong Ngoc Duong, Deputy Department of Radiotherapy, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, said this method can radically treat some inoperable cancers or provide neoadjuvant treatment to shrink the size of the tumor before surgery or adjuvant afterward to prevent recurrence and metastasis. Radiation therapy can also be applied to late-stage cancer to help relieve symptoms.

Doctors may prescribe radiation therapy for breast cancer patients in some of the following cases.

After breast conservation surgery

After surgery to remove the tumor and a portion of surrounding healthy breast tissue, radiotherapy is often prescribed adjuvantly to reduce the risk of recurrence. Without radiotherapy, remaining cancer cells can cause the disease to recur after a few months or years.

After mastectomy

Even though the entire mammary gland has been removed, the remaining tissue in the chest wall or lymph nodes is still at risk of containing cancer cells. Doctors may prescribe adjuvant radiotherapy in cases where the tumor is large, has metastasized to axillary lymph nodes, or the post-operative cut area is still positive for cancer cells.

Locally advanced breast cancer

Cases of breast cancer that cannot be operated on immediately or inflammatory breast cancer that invades the area around the mammary gland are often treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by total mastectomy and radiotherapy.

Breast cancer recurrence

If the patient has had radiotherapy once but the disease still recurs, the doctor will carefully consider the second regimen to optimize treatment effectiveness and control toxicity within allowable limits.

Breast cancer metastasizes to lymph nodes, bones, and brain

Patients need lymph node dissection, usually axillary lymph nodes, followed by adjuvant radiotherapy to destroy remaining cancer cells and limit the risk of recurrence. With bone metastases, this method helps relieve pain, reduce pressure on the spinal cord, and improve numbness and weakness. Breast cancer patients with brain metastases receive radiosurgery or whole-brain radiotherapy depending on the characteristics of the metastatic lesions.

Depending on each case, doctors consult to develop a suitable regimen, plan radiotherapy, calculate radiation dose and number of treatment sessions, and check carefully before implementation. Each radiotherapy session lasts about 30-45 minutes including preparation time. Treatment is usually performed 5 days per week and lasts 3-6 weeks depending on the regimen. Patients need to fully comply with the treatment schedule.

Breast cancer patients mainly receive external radiation therapy, which does not introduce radioactive substances into the body, so patients do not need to be quarantined. Patients need to keep the post-radiation skin clean, avoid rubbing, apply moisturizer, maintain adequate nutrition, rest properly and have a follow-up visit at the hospital on schedule after completing the treatment.