Treating breast cancer with Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy treats cancer by using high-energy rays to destroy the cancer cells, while doing as little harm as possible to normal cells.

Radiotherapy is often used after surgery for breast cancer. It may occasionally be used before, or instead of, surgery. If part of the breast has been removed , radiotherapy is usually given to the remaining breast tissue, to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back in that area.

After a mastectomy, radiotherapy to the chest wall may be given if your doctor thinks there is a risk that any cancer cells have been left behind.

If a few lymph glands have been removed and these contained cancer cells, or if no lymph glands have been removed, radiotherapy may be given to the armpit to treat the remaining lymph glands.

If all the lymph glands have been removed from under the arm, radiotherapy to the armpit is not usually needed.

 

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