Precision delivery enables surrounding healthy tissues to be spared from unnecessary radiation reducing toxicity damage to healthy breast tissue and nearby structures such as the chest wall heart lungs or skin 8 9 10.
Savi radiation therapy side effects.
Continued side effects of external beam radiation.
Concern over long term side effects of radiation therapy is becoming more common as survival rates improve.
The side effects of radiation therapy depend on the area of the body that receives radiation.
Compared to external beam radiation the side effects of savi brachytherapy are far less profound.
Fatigue is the common radiation associated side effect and generally resolves within several days of the completion of therapy.
For example they might delay your next treatment a few days.
You may experience tenderness and swelling in the treatment area.
Because the radiation is more focused the hope is that the newer techniques will cause fewer or milder side effects than traditional radiation therapy with the same benefit.
Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated.
Red swollen warm sensitive skin it might feel like you have a sunburn.
The new techniques deliver more focused and intense radiation therapy over a shorter period of time.
Late side effects of radiation therapy may be permanent.
A machine outside the body focuses the radiation on the area affected by the cancer.
Just as there can be long term side effects of chemotherapy radiation therapy may result in side effects that may begin and linger far after treatment has been completed these can include heart problems lung problems thyroid problems secondary cancers and more but it s important.
Ask your doctor what other side effects can be expected from your treatment.
Once radiation therapy ends side effects will mostly go away within 2 weeks.
Depending on the dose and type you may notice these during treatment.
The main types of radiation therapy that can be used to treat breast cancer are external beam radiation therapy ebrt and brachytherapy.
This is the most common type of radiation therapy for women with breast cancer.
Learn more about possible side effects.
Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue.
Minimized risk of side effects.
Early side effects happen shortly after you receive radiation therapy.
They may be able to treat or prevent many side effects or change your treatment plan slightly to reduce them.
Because brachytherapy focuses radiation in a small treatment area only that area is affected.
Let your radiation oncologist or nurse know how the sessions are making you feel.