Chest Wall Radiation After Mastectomy

After a mastectomy, your doctor may suggest radiation therapy for the chest wall and nearby lymph node areas. Whether or not radiation therapy should be used after removal of your breast depends on several factors such as the number of lymph nodes involved, tumor size and whether or not cancer cells were found near the edge of the surgical site. Women planning to undergo reconstruction should discuss the impact of post-mastectomy radiation with their surgeon and radiation oncologist.

If you have left-sided breast cancer, breathing techniques may be used during your treatment to minimize heart dose.