Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in American women. This year, more than 250,000 individuals will be diagnosed with the disease, and the vast majority will be cured with modern therapy.
Fears about breast cancer treatment can shape how patients choose to manage their disease, even leading some to avoid needed therapy. A new survey presented at ASTRO’s 2017 Annual Meeting found breast cancer patients’ experiences with radiation therapy to be less scary and the side effects to be less severe than expected. More than 90 percent of the women surveyed agreed that if future patients understand the real experience of radiation therapy, they will be less afraid of treatment.
Animated Infographic: Breast Cancer Patients Find Radiation Therapy Much Better than Expected
Audio: Doctor Radio Segment on Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer
Dr. Susie McCloskey, senior author of the study and a radiation oncologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, discussed the results with Sirius XM’s Doctor Radio. Listen to her interview for information about the study and answers to the following questions:
- How is modern radiation therapy different from treatment in the 90s and before? How have treatments advanced?
- What is the day-to-day process like for patients receiving radiation therapy for breast cancer?
- What are common side effects of radiation therapy for breast cancer?
Additional Information and Resources
For more information on radiation therapy and breast cancer, visit our patient website, RT Answers, where you will find the following resources:
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