15 Questions to Ask About Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer

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There have been so many advances in radiation therapy in the past few years that choosing a therapeutic approach is not as simple as it used to be. Here are some questions that you or your parent will want to ask her oncologist when deciding on a plan of treatment.

  • Is there a risk that the radiation will damage the lungs?
  • If the tumor is in the left breast, do we need to worry about damage to the heart?
  • Would using IMRT reduce the risk of damage to the lungs, heart, or surrounding skin tissue?
  • Is the tumor in a location that can be affected by movement from breathing or digestion?
  • If so, are you considering using techniques to control or compensate for movement during radiation?
  • Do deodorant, lotion, and other products interfere with radiation therapy?
  • If so, how long before treatment should these products be avoided?
  • Will the radiation cause cosmetic damage to the skin?
  • Is there a risk that the radiation will damage the lungs?
  • If the tumor is in the left breast, do we need to worry about damage to the heart?
  • Would using IMRT reduce the risk of damage to the lungs, heart, or surrounding skin tissue?
  • Is the tumor in a location that can be affected by movement from breathing or digestion?
  • If so, are you considering using techniques to control or compensate for movement during radiation?
  • Do deodorant, lotion, and other products interfere with radiation therapy?
  • If so, how long before treatment should these products be avoided?
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3 Comments

10 months ago

Hi LUCRE*, Thanks for your comment! Glad you found the article useful. If you'd like you can post a question in our Ask & Answer section, here: (http://www.caring.com/ask). Take care! -- Emily | Community Manager


10 months ago

GREAT TO READ,,,WHAT KIND OF DEODORANTS ARE HELPFUL DURING RADIATION? FOUND EVERYTHING VERY HELPFUL INDEED! THANKS SO MUCH!


over 1 year ago

It would have been nice if a bit of information followed each question posed. What kinds of advancements have been made? The questions don't indicate anything about that. Plus, the questions were duplicated - making it 8 questions, not 15. I find this article of little to no use.


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