WHAT IS RADIOTHERAPY?:

Radiotherapy uses radiation (high-energy X-rays) to treat cancer. The radiation only damages the cells within the treatment area, killing the cancer cells but allowing normal healthy cells to recover.

Treatment is given over a prescribed number of days/weeks so that only small doses (fractions) of radiation are given.

I had fifteen sessions of radiotherapy to the right chest wall lateral axilla and supra-clavicular fossa area. This was administered within three weeks. The sessions lasted about twenty minutes at a time and there was no pain during the sessions.

In my case, I had a darkening of the skin in the marked area and a burning hot sensation to the skin in the same area. It was like a heat burn. The burn ran through to my back.

RADIOTHERAPY SIDE EFFECTS:

The most noticeable effect of radiotherapy is the darkening of the treated area. The area became very hot and I used cold aloe vera cream that was stored in the fridge for extra calming on the burning area.

The darkness of the skin faded slowly for me and the area has stayed quite sensitive. If I get a heat rash on my chest, it takes a longer time for the rash to completely disappear on the treated area.

The breast area treated with radiotherapy has stayed shiny and the skin quite thin, with very little elasticity.

The elasticity of the armpit area is different from that of the left arm but one good thing is I don’t sweat underneath my right arm anymore. I believe radiotherapy killed the sweat glands. For me, this is a plus.