Content Overview 
- Learn About Additional Tests If Recommended
- Summary
- Breast Cancer Is Not What It Used To Be.
- Take Time Making Medical Decisions.
- Think About Your Goals.
- Commit Yourself To Doing Everything You Can To Reach Your Goal
- A General Overview Of What Happens After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis
- Learn About Your Specific Diagnosis
- Decide Who You Want To Make Medical Decisions.
- Choose The Best Available Cancer Doctors (Oncologists)
- Learn How To Maximize Your Limited Time With A Doctor.
- Treatments Available For Breast Cancer
- Ask All Your Questions Before Agreeing To A Treatment Plan.
- What Happens In A Lumpectomy, a Partial Mastectomy or a Mastectomy.
- If A Mastectomy Is Recommended.
- If A Lumpectomy Is Recommended, Ask About Getting An MRI
- Choosing Between Lumpectomy or Partial Mastectomy and a Mastectomy
- If Radiation Is Recommended.
- If Chemotherapy Is Recommended.
- If Wait And See Is Recommended
- Second Opinions Are A Good Thing.
- Non-traditional Treatments Should Be Complementary - Not Instead Of
- When A Drug Is Recommended.
- Take Someone With You To Doctor Appointments
- Tools That Will Make The Process Easier
- A Cancer Prevention Lifestyle Helps
- What To Do If Your Diagnosis Is Metastatic Breast Cancer Or An Unusual Or Rare Cancer
Breast Cancer In Situ: Managing Your Medical Care: Diagnosis To Treatment Decision
If Radiation Is Recommended.
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Radiation is the use of high-energy rays to damage cancer cells. It is a local treatment like surgery that only affects cancer cells in the treated area.
Cancer cells are vulnerable to radiation, because the energy disrupts cellular growth. Unlike healthy cells, cancer cells cannot repair themselves. Once they are damaged by the radiation, they will be killed off.
External beam radiation therapy is the type of radiation used with breast cancer. Protocols vary from 3 to 6 weeks.
If radiation is used after breast cancer surgery, it is generally delayed for about 4 weeks to permit the site to heal.
Potential side effects which occur during treatment are: fatigue, swelling, heaviness in the breast, skin redness, tenderness in the breast and (if radiation is administered to the armpit area) lymphedema (swelling of the arm.)
To learn more about radiation, and for information on how to minimize the side effects, see the documents in To Learn More.
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