Side effects of external beam radiation therapy may include sunburn-like skin changes in the treated area, swelling or heaviness in the breast, and fatigue. These changes usually go away in 6 to 12 months. Sometimes the breasts become smaller and firmer after radiation therapy. If radiation is given to the underarm area, lymphedema may occur. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs given orally or by injection.
Patients receive chemotherapy in cycles of treatment and recovery periods.
The total course of the treatment lasts three to six months. Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy, meaning that it reaches all parts of the body through the bloodstream. The drugs used for chemotherapy affect rapidly-dividing cells, like cancer cells. However, other healthy cells in the body also divide rapidly, so they are negatively affected by chemotherapy, causing its unpleasant side effects. Some of these temporary side effects can be controlled with medication, so patients should keep their doctors informed of any side effects they experience.