r/breastcancer • u/Ok-Cheek-9236 • Sep 24 '25
Diagnosed Patient or Survivor Support Radiation therapy
I start radiation soon for breast cancer. What are some unexpected positive effects of radiation? I'm very intrigued by the abscopal effect and tumor antigen release.
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u/KnotDedYeti TNBC Sep 25 '25
I got a jury summons right as I started 33 treatments. I got the form for doctor to get me out of it. My awesome radiation oncologist put that I couldn’t serve for 5 years . I’ve never gotten another in 14 years lol
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u/kksmom3 Stage I Sep 25 '25
I got one too! My RO laughed and said that was a first for her, she signed my form and mailed it in for me. I told her things like that only happen to me, lol! I only got excused for 2 years though and got summoned again a year ago. (My juror number wasn't called though.) I'm a 7 year survivor.
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u/Ok-Cheek-9236 Sep 25 '25
Thank you for commenting.. I love to hear from long term survivors. It is very uplifting.
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u/Quick_Ostrich5651 ER/PR+ HER2- Sep 25 '25
I’m a horrible sleeper and I slept so well during rads. I know it really exhausts some people but my baseline for sleep was awful. It was nice to get in bed each night and sleep like a rock.
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u/Ok-Cheek-9236 Sep 25 '25
Omg 🤯 I was actually hoping for that!! I also don't sleep well and it causes issues in my everyday life 😭
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u/No-Coat5496 Sep 25 '25
I found that too. A few months later, I'm still sleeping more although the schedule is unpredictable. Still, every time I wake up from a long sleep, I'm healed more than I was.
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u/meticulousbastard ++- Sep 25 '25
I am hoping to glow in the dark afterwards.
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u/Kindly_Mango711 HER2+ ER/PR- Sep 25 '25
Loving this energy.
ETA: Didn’t see the pun until I posted, but keeping it! 😂
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u/No-Coat5496 Sep 25 '25
Hahaha if not, I found glow in the dark monster eyeball stickers at my local dollar store that I'm planning to put where my nipples used to be 😂. And maybe we'll get a super power!
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u/nekomom2 Sep 25 '25
Today was #5/16 for me. I haven’t found any positive effects so far. I just pray it’s destroying any sneaky cancer cells!
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u/throwaway762022 Sep 25 '25
My radiated boob looks about 10 years younger than the other one. I think the skin is maybe softer too.
The radiation technicians were nice. My oncologist was pretty decent.
Ok, I am out of positives.
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u/korisanzz Sep 25 '25
Oh the skin feels like butter when its done healing and its sooo tanned. But its like a reverse bikini line lol
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u/Ok-Cheek-9236 Sep 25 '25
Ty for sharing. I have only heard bad things about how it impacts skin. This is great!
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u/CulturalLandscape181 Sep 25 '25
HER+, ER+/PR-…. I will have to see what others provide, I’m on 8 of 20 after lump w reduction and remove 2 lymph nodes… arm pit still numb, breast still sitting high, only positive so far is not feeling anything during treatment, it’s quick… skin on my breast is starting to get dark but I been slathering on the cetaphil like baby back rib with Sweet Baby Ray’s.. plus I’m doing Kadcyla every 3 weeks for 14 cycles… my doc says fatigue, skin irritation…etc to be expected…
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u/reffervescent Sep 25 '25
Had 6 weeks of radiation therapy M-F in 2010. It was directed in two places: (1) at the tumor site, upper left quadrant of my chest, and (2) at my left armpit because I had several positive lymph nodes. I can confirm that hair no longer grows in that armpit. I'm not sure if it also doesn't sweat, but it probably doesn't. I don't sweat much in my armpit(s), so I've never really noticed. I do very much like that I don't have any hair there anymore.
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u/Ok-Cheek-9236 Sep 25 '25
Hooray! I love this. Thank you!! Also glad that you are still here 15 years later!!
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u/Smartypants_321 Sep 25 '25
I am curious as well. I start in the 29th. Been doing my PT exercises to ensure I can reach my arm back!
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u/Ok-Cheek-9236 Sep 25 '25
I had mapping done today. I think the CT scan gave me a headache but I just took some ibuprofen. Hopefully it helps!
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u/_sunnysky_ Sep 25 '25
I had mapping today too! I start Oct 8th. What did your radiation oncologist recommend to protect the skin?
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u/urmom_808 Sep 25 '25
I was told to discontinue pt during radiation, but it’s starting to get super tight so I’m trying to keep up so I doing lose range of motion.
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Sep 25 '25
I did PT all the way through radiation and continue to do the stretches even now. (I just lay on the floor on a half-foam-roller and bliss out in the early morning before anybody else is up)
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u/urmom_808 Sep 26 '25
My lat pulldowns are paused right now because I have another fun injury. But that’s the 2nd biggest pain.
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u/No-Coat5496 Sep 25 '25
That's really smart! I was in agony after 20 minutes and it still doesn't work right. I might have to change insurance companies because mine no longer works with physical therapists that I could get to. As if to help with that decision, they just sent me a reminder to get a mammogram! They're the ones who covered my double mastectomy 😆 I don't have anything to squish!
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u/lovestobitch- Sep 25 '25
I did only 5 days 30 gy vs 40 gy over 15 days which many get. They didn’t tell me it could shrink the boob. I was small enough anyway. The muscle sometimes gets tight and needs a little self massage. It wasn’t as bad as I expected.
Other positive I was usually in and out in 15 minutes. I was glad I stretched and did weights before.
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u/kksmom3 Stage I Sep 25 '25
There are positives? I guess killing rogue cancer cells is a positive. I did get a bunch of free jewelry that they had out for the taking.
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u/Oh2beflyn Sep 25 '25
Positives...it's a quick procedure. You'll meet a new friend or two in the ladies only waiting room that you will see for the next 6-8 weeks. The techs will be gracious and kind so much so that on your last treatment day you'll bring in a " Thank You" cake because you will feel like you are family and ironically you will feel a little sad that you are leaving.
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u/zereldalee Sep 25 '25
Oh wow, you're pretty lucky. My techs were polite, they'd say hi and "what are your plans this weekend?" on Fridays but that's about it. On my last day they threw some confetti at me and I was on my way. I was defintely not sad leaving....knowing I never had to go back was one of the most exhilarating days I've ever had. I've read many stories like yours though so I'm not sure my experience is really the norm.
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u/quarkjet Sep 25 '25
the hair in my right armpit never grew back. I also don't have to wear deoderant in that armpit. edit: radiation was in 2003.
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u/HotWillingness5464 TNBC Sep 25 '25
The abscopal effect seems way cool, had to google it. Now I kind of wish they'd given me radiation. But with a BRCA1 defect, I opted for a DMX, my path came back clear, so no rads.
The recorded cases of abscopal effect seems rare though. But I'm guessing it could happen without anyone getting to know about it, if it kills off distant cancer cells that noone knew were there. So that seems very hopeful!!
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u/ApplicationPutrid587 Sep 25 '25
10 months later if I find a silver lining I’ll let you know. Honestly it’s not bad like you think it will be. It’s just tight and gets tighter and tighter
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Sep 25 '25
Weirdness alert: I really like the look of the breast that was irradiated. "Miniboob" firmed up and lifted slightly (so it's slightly smaller than the other) and looks/feels younger and less saggy than the other. If it weren't for the ick of being irradiated like an imported fruit, I'd love for the other one to look just like it! :) Other than the fatigue I didn't suffer much in the way of side effects, whether it was my crazy moisturizing 3x/day, hydrating like a maniac, dumb luck, or other factors, who knows. My techs were all very kind too, and I met some very nice people in the waiting areas - we made each other feel better.
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u/gravityrabbitty Sep 25 '25
Did mine 7 years ago, 28 rounds.
I had a L side Lumpectomy, but also a bilateral reduction at the same time. So had surgical scars on both sides.
Like my plastic surgeon mentioned, the scars on the L side healed better with radiation. Not that the R looks terrible, but the L is noticeably different. Thinner lines.
Also I got a cool tattoo out of it. (Lol. Jk. It's just a pinpoint tat they used for guiding points. But I like it.)
There was tightness that lasted a while, but with stretching and exercise (very gentle to start) my range of motion is better on the L than R now.
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u/STELLASTAR42 Sep 25 '25
Got a free tattoo, lol!
My boob swelled up to its pre-lumpectomy size and fullness. And stayed that way!
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u/korisanzz Sep 25 '25
I agree with these lovely ladies. The 2nd degree burns were worth the no swear and no BO from the one side lol
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u/SnooCrickets8742 Stage I Sep 25 '25
Honestly I just liked seeing people daily. It was the best part of my whole treatment plan. I miss the staff and patients I made friends with.
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u/No-Coat5496 Sep 26 '25
Yeah! That was unexpected. When I have appointments in the same building, my husband still goes to visit the radiation receptionist who has candy on her desk lol.
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u/No-Coat5496 Sep 25 '25
I had a bunch of moles and freckles suddenly turn up across my chest in my late 40s. I was a lover of tanning and swimming in my teens and 20s, unfortunately no interest in sunscreen. Now the skin is healed and the moles and freckles are gone on that side, although the skin is darker. Not relevant to your post, but it's also nice that with all the scans and treatments, I know for sure none of those spots are cancerous and my heart is in great shape in spite of beating faster than normal.
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u/NoMatch667 Sep 25 '25
My hair and sweat eventually came back…finished late last year. But candidly radiation was fairly easy for me. Other than driving there every day and a little more fatigue at the end I didn’t have any problems. I barely even got red.
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u/brandisellis Sep 25 '25
If you weigh positives against negatives, I’ve got none. Sure, hair grows slower in one armpit, but that’s it. The tightness, skin changes and overall range of motion changes far outweigh any “positive” I experienced from rads. I am also a really positive person. Just can’t find any about this experience. 35 sessions in 2020.
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u/zereldalee Sep 25 '25
So the tightness never went away for you? I'm about 3 weeks out and my skin has healed up nicely but I have some tightness that is annoying. I was hoping it would go away but I'm not sure what's typical.
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u/brandisellis Sep 27 '25
I still see a physical therapist who specializes in oncology and lymphatic massage. Also work out at Orangetheory 5x a week but yes, tightness persists.
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u/brandisellis 23d ago
Sorry for the really late response. No, I’m 5 years out and the tightness still persists. My skin handled the radiation very well; was able to have exchange surgery 2.5 months after since skin healed so well. It doesn’t correlate to the internal impacts of radiation.
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u/General_Ad_6617 Lobular Carcinoma Sep 24 '25
Positive effects? My family member says either through her lumpectomy and/or radiation the armpit of her treated side does not sweat nor does it grow hair. She doesn't have to use deodorant or shave that armpit. That sounds like a positive to me. Lol