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Cancer Treatment -Radiation a Breast Cancer Treatment Option

By: Meng Y Radiation therapy remains one of the most common tools for breast cancer treatment, but it has been refined considerably over the years.

Radiation is performed two different ways: both internal and external.

External radiation treatments utilize a highly energized and highly focused light beam to rid the body of cancer cells and their surrounding tissues. The light beam cannot be seen with the human eye however it is semi-transparent allowing it to pass through your skin. Cancer cells are uniquely composed, so therefore they all have a different reaction to the treatment.

Healthy cells that are located within the path of the radiation are affected by it. As cancer cells actively divide and grow in abnormal ways the way they function is easily interrupted. They could potentially absorb a greater percentage of radiation than healthy cells do. The energy works to kill the cancer cells. The beam also aids in destroying the blood vessels generated by the cancer to feed itself. These vessels are located around the tumor.

Radiation performed internally is often called brachyytherapy. It is similar to chemotherapy. Instead of utilizing drugs to affect a chemical change a small amount of radioactive material is placed within the body. The material then emits radiation targeting cancer cells, destroying them from within the body.

Internal radiation is not as commonly used as external radiation. But just as with any other method of treatment the use of this technique is determined by the oncologist.

Radiation therapy is usually used before or with another treatment. After an individual undergoes a modified mastectomy, their oncologist could recommend that they also receive a course of radiation treatment that lasts six to eight weeks.

The optimal goal of radiation treatment is to make sure that any cancerous cells not removed by the surgeon are destroyed through radiation treatment. Radiation treatment is a treatment that isn't as intense because using radiation to completely rid the body of cancer would require both longer and higher doses.

Often radiation treatments are used with chemotherapy. Because every situation and patient is different both the oncologist and the patient will make the decision regarding which treatment method is the best. In some instances radiation treatment is used only to relieve symptoms without expecting a cure for the cancer.

Even though the beam is high energy radiation treatments are painless. They do however have awful side effects.

Radiation treatments can produce fatigue, particularly in the later stages of treatment. Treatments are often given five days a week for several weeks, sometimes twice per day. In these cases, the fatigue can last for a few weeks or longer after treatment ends.

Problematic skin is a fairly common side effect. Because radiation is absorbed by some of the breast tissue an individual might experience redness, soreness, and itching. They might notice decreased sensation on and about the breast, under the arm and even nearby areas. Radiation doesn't cause hair loss unless it is applied directly to the head, which typically isn't the case during breast cancer treatment.

In some instances that are more intense the immune system can be compromised especially if an individual is having radiation applied to their lymph nodes. Both the lymph nodes and the vessels that connect to them are a necessary part of the immune system and radiation treatment can potentially work to increase their effectiveness.

Fortunately, side effects are usually short lived. Except in the most extreme cases, organs, lymph nodes and other body components are not destroyed or irreparably harmed by radiation treatment. Though function may be temporarily suppressed, the body generally bounces back.

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