Breast Cancer Radiotherapy
According to the American Cancer Society, over 1.5 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed by the end of this year. Breast cancer happens to be among the five most common types of cancer in the United States and the world, and one of the most common types of treatment is breast cancer radiotherapy. Depending on how far advanced the disease is, some patients might receive breast cancer radiotherapy after they have already received chemotherapy, but this is something that will be decided by your oncologist and the medical team. In most cases, surgery will take place prior to breast cancer radiotherapy.
How Radiotherapy Works
Even though breast cancer radiotherapy happens to be one of the most common and effective treatments, many people are not aware of how it actually works. Radiotherapy often makes use of a large and sophisticated machine that irradiates a powerful beam that contains energy, which attacks the cancerous cells in the breast. During the breast cancer radiotherapy sessions, the patient won’t feel any type of pain or discomfort, but there might be side effects later on. This is mostly due to the fact that the powerful beam might disturb the tissue or other healthy cells, but it also makes sure to shrink the cancerous mass. The radiation can be done two ways: externally and internally; when it’s done externally, the aforementioned beam is used, and when it’s done internally, a small container or pellet is inserted in or close to the affected area.
Dealing With Metastatic Breast Cancer Side Effects
Unfortunately, receiving breast cancer radiotherapy means that you might have to deal with a series of side effects. However, this isn’t experienced by all breast cancer patients but it’s the oncologist’s responsibility to make you aware of the possible risks of the treatment. Perhaps the most common types of breast cancer radiotherapy side effects is skin irritation, which can turn quite uncomfortable because patients often feel like they are sunburnt. In addition, the breast cancer patient might experience the followings skin side effects:
- Skin redness
- Constant itching
- Soreness
- Skin peeling
It’s important that you comprehend the types of breast cancer radiotherapy side effects, but also keep in mind that not all patients experience them. There are cases where patients conclude the breast cancer radiotherapy treatment with no side effects at all.
How Much Does Breast Cancer Radiotherapy Cost?
It can be quite difficult to set an accurate cost on breast cancer radiotherapy because there are numerous factors that will determine the total. Moreover, the costs for radiotherapy treatment vary from one state to the other, and in some cases, people opt to travel overseas for the treatment. Keep in mind that if you have insurance, you might not have to pay for the total cost because the policy will most likely pay up to 100% of the bill. The total costs of breast cancer radiotherapy also depend on the number of sessions that you receive in a week, and the location that you choose as your medical facility.