Content Overview 
- Learn About The Tests Your Doctor May Suggest.
- Summary
- Breast Cancer Is Not What It Used To Be.
- Take Time Making A Treatment Decision
- Commit Yourself To Doing Everything You Can To Beat Your Disease.
- Think About Your Goals
- A General Overview Of What Happens After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis
- Learn About Your Specific Diagnosis.
- Choose The Best Available Cancer Doctor (An Oncologist).
- Decide Who You Want To Make Medical Decisions.
- Consider Available Treatments.
- Ask All Your Questions Before Agreeing To A Treatment Plan.
- Lumpectomy, a Partial Mastectomy or a Mastectomy.
- If A Mastectomy Is Recommended.
- When A Drug Is Recommended.
- If Radiation Is Recommended.
- If Chemotherapy Is Recommended.
- Get A Second Opinion
- Non-traditional Treatments Should Be Complementary - Not Instead Of
- Learn How To Maximize Your Limited Time With A Doctor.
- Drugs And Treatments Do Not Work In A Vacuum.
- Tools That Will Make The Process Easier
- Take Someone With You To Doctors' Appointments
- IF YOUR DIAGNOSIS IS OF METASTATIC BREAST CANCER OR AN UNUSUAL OR A RARE CANCER.
Advanced Breast Cancer: 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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