Quick summary

Advances in radiation therapy offer many new treatment choices for breast cancer. When the oncologist recommends radiation, be sure to check whether the type of radiation she suggests is the most advanced strategy available for this particular breast cancer.

Pushing for the right radiation therapy treatment

After the oncologist recommends a course of treatment for breast cancer that includes radiation therapy, you're naturally going to have many questions. Among them will be concerns about whether the type of radiation the doctor's recommending is the most advanced and aggressive strategy available.

"Not all radiation therapy is created equal," says oncologist Shalom Kalnicki, chairman of radiation oncology at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. "You want to understand what's involved and find out about all the options, so you can make the best choice."

For suggestions on what to ask during this important discussion, see 15 Questions to Ask About Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer. Certainly, the oncologist knows more about breast cancer than you do and may have solid reasons for recommending a particular treatment -- but it's also possible she's recommending only the treatment available in the hospitals she's affiliated with. To prepare for this talk, you'll want to know the terms for the wide variety of techniques available. Here's a rundown of the newest radiation technologies: