Breast Unit
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy
Some breast cancer patients will be recommended to have radiotherapy as part of their breast cancer treatment. If adjuvant chemotherapy is not recommended then radiotherapy will start approximately six to eight weeks after surgery.
If adjuvant chemotherapy is also recommended, then radiotherapy will follow after the six cycles of chemotherapy has finished.
Radiotherapy can be recommended to be given to the remaining breast following breast conserving surgery, to the chest wall following mastectomy and/or to the area just above the collar bone.
The decision to offer patients radiotherapy is made by our multidisciplinary team. The decision to have radiotherapy is made by each individual patient and their oncologist in an oncology clinic appointment. This treatment is given to reduce the risk of breast cancer cells reappearing in those areas. The radiotherapy is then planned and treatment starts shortly after. This is all done at the RUH in the Radiotherapy department at A14.
This treatment is given five days a week (Monday to Friday) for between three to five weeks depending on the individual patient and their specific breast cancer features.