For those facing it, chemotherapy is a long, lonely hallway full of revolving doors. Separating myth from truth. The radiation A common treatment plan is to split your chemotherapy up with radiation. This gives your body a chance to rest and recover, and battles the cancer cells with large doses of X-rays. I was zapped with 180 centigrays a day, from several different angles, for six weeks.
Radiation does affect the skin, and it kills cells.
You end up with not only a really cool, perfectly square tan on half your chest, you also come out of it with tiny tattoos, which they use to target the blast. I couldn't talk them into doing little roses. The actual treatment takes about a minute. But you do it every weekday, so it is somewhat of a drudge. Some people say they grow tired at the end of the day because of radiation.