Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy involves treatment of the tumour using a machine that beams high-energy rays or particles onto an area of the body to destroy the cancer cells. The amount of radiation given during treatment, the number and frequency of treatments, as well as how it is delivered will be determined by the care team for each woman. Not every woman we interviewed underwent radiation therapy. Christa, for example, couldn’t have radiation because she was pregnant.

The women we spoke to all had different experiences with radiation. Some found it easier than chemotherapy or not as bad as they had initially anticipated. It was still challenging though for most to deal with the side effects and fatigue associated with this treatment.

Care and treatment plan

Most women received radiation after finishing chemotherapy, and generally as daily sessions (Monday-Friday) for 10 – 15 minutes, lasting 15 – 25 days. However, there were exceptions, such as for Annie. Because of the nature of her diagnosis and the size of the area needing radiation, she received radiation for up to 30 minutes each time. Melissa and Annie received brachytherapy and Tomotherapy, respectively, two less common forms of radiation. Brachytherapy is the application of high doses of radiation on or near the tumour itself, in order to minimize radiation to the surrounding tissues. Tomotherapy divides a single beam of radiation into multiple beams to allow for continuous radiation from more angles. Sirkka’s radiation area was covered with a wet towel to increase the intensity of the radiation to the skin. Isla described it as an unnerving experience to be in a cold room with the machine but it was quick.

Surprises or changes during the treatment plan

May-Lie and Donna didn’t remember having radiation therapy in their treatment plan, so hearing that they had to undergo radiation later on was a big surprise. Donna felt that she was not offered a choice about her treatments and didn’t feel that she received adequate care and information from her oncologist and nurses.

For some women it was a surprise to learn that their skin had to be marked in ink like a tattoo or permanent pen mark, as they had never been told about this detail until they were being marked.
And Annie decided to change doctors after she felt discouraged after the first meeting with the radio-oncologist. You can read more about changing doctors in Relating to health care professionals.

Other women had more positive experiences with their providers, saying that their radiation team was great and that they were very helpful and supportive throughout their treatments. Some, like Laurie, were able to take a more active decision-making role in their treatments, which they appreciated.

Side-effects

Some women had only a few side-effects from radiation, whereas others had more. Red, dark skin, accompanied by some burning were more common skin side-effects reported by women we interviewed, and some likened it to a sunburn. Nurses often suggested creams to help alleviate the burning and irritation of the skin caused by the radiation, and to prevent the skin from drying out. Nadia A’s nurse suggested Polysporin cream or specific ointments, and she found them very helpful in reducing irritation and keeping her skin soft. Other side-effects included stiffness due to changes in muscle tissue and scar tissue build up, blistering, tenderness, pain, sensitivity, and peeling skin. Almost all of the women said that they experienced fatigue during and after the end of their treatments. Less commonly mentioned side-effects included severe burns, vomiting, stomach problems, changes in breast tissue, and difficulty lifting an arm. Some women described a skin colouration like a sun tan that lasted long after the radiation.

Suggestions and coping

Annie had quite a bit of pain during her first few radiation sessions, so her physiotherapist suggested that she take Advil every 4-6 hours. She said that this helped to alleviate the pain and reduced the dosage over time as the radiation became less painful. Some forms of therapy that some women found helpful included; massage therapy, healing work, naturopathy, specialized creams, essential oils, moisturizers and vitamin C treatment. A handful of women said that napping during the day was an effective way for them to fight off fatigue.

It must be said though that swimming is not a good idea when the skin is broken.

Services and accommodation

Some women found that commuting to and from their treatment facility was hard and that it contributed to their fatigue. Some cities and communities had driving services to help patients get to and from their treatment facility, which is especially helpful for patients who live far away; daily transportation costs by car or taxi, for instance, can be expensive. Other women were able to stay in ‘hotels’ designed for patients going through cancer treatment for the duration of their radiation treatment when farther from home – some staying the week, returning home on weekends, while others remained for their entire treatment. Despite being far away from home and missing their usual social support, all of the women who used this service had positive experiences during their stay.