After radiation treatment, the breast can remain swollen for months or even years — this is known as edema. Another type of swelling called lymphedema is more common, and is a result of either lymph node removal surgery (which has nothing to do with radiation), or radiation that has damaged nearby lymph nodes.
Is it normal to have stabbing pain after lumpectomy and radiotherapy?
Am 13 mths post lumpectomy and radiotherapy and sometimes get the most stabbing pains and itchy ness in my nipple. My BC nurse said it takes time to heal but knowing your consultant says it may always will feel like this makes it a bit more acceptable. wishing you all a positive outcome.
How is radiation therapy done after lumpectomy?
After lumpectomy, therapy through radiation is done. It is done in such a way so that radiation can destruct the remaining cells if present when surgery was done.
How long does it take for a lumpectomy to heal?
Generally, the healing time varies from a few days to a week. The recovery may be different when a lumpectomy is done with lymph node biopsy (when a lymph node is removed and sent for lab examination) than what it will be without a lymph node biopsy.
How long after surgery does radiation start (and why)?
Also for chemotherapy, the use of radiation starts after 3 to 4 weeks, when chemotherapy is completed. Some researchers tells that radiation should begin within six weeks when surgery is completed.
How long does pain last after lumpectomy and radiation?
How long do symptoms last? Skin irritation and breast pain usually begin within a few weeks of starting treatment and go away on their own within 6 months after treatment ends. For some people, however, these symptoms may not occur until several months or years after treatment.
How long are your breast sore after radiotherapy?
Your radiographer will give you creams to soothe the skin. The soreness usually goes away within 2 to 4 weeks of ending the treatment. Towards the end of the radiotherapy, the skin might break down. especially under the breast.
Why is my breast so sore after radiation?
Swelling and soreness Symptoms of sore or swollen breasts usually go away several weeks after radiation therapy ends. If you have radiation therapy to the lymph nodes, fluid can sometimes build up and cause swelling in the breast, chest, shoulder, or arm.
Why is my breast still sore after lumpectomy?
It can happen after any type of breast surgery, including a lumpectomy (wide local excision), mastectomy, lymph node removal and breast reconstruction. The pain is usually caused by bruising, stretching or damage to nerves during surgery or when scar tissue forms.
How long after radiation do you start to feel better?
Most side effects go away within 1–2 months after you have finished radiation therapy.
How long does it take to heal after a lumpectomy?
Healing time after surgery can range anywhere from a few days to a week. After a lumpectomy without a lymph node biopsy, you're likely to feel well enough to return to work after two or three days. You can usually resume normal physical activities, like going to the gym, after one week.
Is pain after radiation normal?
In some cases, it is caused by the treatment itself. Types of pain you may feel following cancer treatment include: Skin sensitivity where you received radiation. This type of pain is quite common and can last for many months.
How long does it take to recover from radiation therapy?
Most side effects generally go away within a few weeks to 2 months of finishing treatment. But some side effects may continue after treatment is over because it takes time for healthy cells to recover from the effects of radiation therapy. Late side effects can happen months or years after treatment.
How long does it take for a tumor to shrink after radiation?
At the same time, if a cell doesn't divide, it also cannot grow and spread. For tumors that divide slowly, the mass may shrink over a long, extended period after radiation stops. The median time for a prostate cancer to shrink is about 18 months (some quicker, some slower).
How long does nerve pain last after breast surgery?
in their literature review of 23 studies, PBSPS is pain that occurs after any breast surgery, is of at least moderate severity, possesses neuropathic qualities, is located in the ipsilateral breast/chest wall, axilla, and/or arm, lasts at least 6 months, occurs at least 50% of the time and may be exacerbated by ...
How long do you wear a sports bra after lumpectomy?
- We want you to wear a soft bra with NO UNDERWIRE, 24 hours a day (including sleeping) for the first 6 weeks after surgery, removing the bra only to shower or to wash the bra. You may continue to wear the surgical bra or your own bra as long as it is the correct type.
How long does pain last after lymph node removal?
Some mild swelling after surgery is normal. This swelling may last for up to 6 weeks. It's often temporary and will gradually go away. You may also feel pain or other sensations such as twinges and tingling after your surgery.
How long does radiation therapy last after lumpectomy?
It is being told by a doctor that they think that after 4 to 6 weeks of surgery they begin to do radiation therapy, which is given for six weeks, and every week it is administered ...
How long does it take for breast cancer to spread after a lumpectomy?
Exact Time: After 4 to 6 weeks. Lumpectomy is nothing but an operation in which some portion of breast tissues are removed, which can cause cancer, but it hasn’t spread yet. It is usually done in the treatment of deadly or uncontrollable tumors or cancer in breasts. Radiation has the ability to kill the remaining cells of cancer after surgery.
What factors affect the time to give radiation therapy?
There are many factors that affect the time to give radiation therapy they are: how exactly was the tumor, which type of therapy is being given or age factors, person health condition also how he is after that surgery, etc.
How long does it take for chemo to start?
Also for chemotherapy, the use of radiation starts after 3 to 4 weeks, when chemotherapy is completed. Some researchers tells that radiation should begin within six weeks when surgery is completed.
How long does it take for a syringe to heal?
The time for healing after this surgery can be from days to weeks. You can resume your work after a week or as suggested by the doctor. Also, you can do any sort of activities that may be physical or related to gymming. For a day or two days when surgery is done, you can have immense pain or be exhausted every minute.
Can you have a lumpectomy after giving birth?
Many doctors say that there is no minimum time has been established between lumpectomy and radiation therapy. Some women many times get diagnosed as having breast cancer during pregnancy. So, as suggested by doctors, women can have lumpectomy as found out then after giving birth to the child, they should go for radiation therapy. ...
Does radiation kill cancer cells?
Radiation has the ability to kill the remaining cells of cancer after surgery . It is a serious surgery with many risks and so complications. It is meant only for early-stage cancer related to breasts. When it is done to remove cancer from the breast, it is then mostly followed by therapy which is radiation based so that there can be less chance ...
Constant pain in breast after lumpectomy
Hi I had a lumpectomy in march. Also a complete reduction in both breast , I have been in pain in the left breast ever since, which is the one I had lump and lymph nodes removed.
Constant pain in breast after lumpectomy
Hi Lindylum. I had lumpectomy, nodes removed and radiation treatment and have still been in pain 20 months post treatment. I've had several issues with fluid and other things and am always told it's early days, nerves take time to heal, etc.
Constant pain in breast after lumpectomy
I am sorry to hear that you are still having pain this long after your lumpectomy. I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy the first time and a year later, I had a double mastectomy. I was uncomfortable in breast and arm after my lumpectomy and again after my masectomies, but nothing that I cannot cope with.
Constant pain in breast after lumpectomy
Hiya, I had a wide local excision ( lumpectomy) and ancillary node sampling, followed by 21 sessions of radiotherapy in 2010. My affected breast and surrounding area is constantly tender. I work with my breast consultant in operating theatre and have been told this will always be so. The tenderness is caused by radiation damage to the tissues.
Constant pain in breast after lumpectomy
Thank you nanasoup for your post. Am 13 mths post lumpectomy and radiotherapy and sometimes get the most stabbing pains and itchy ness in my nipple. My BC nurse said it takes time to heal but knowing your consultant says it may always will feel like this makes it a bit more acceptable. wishing you all a positive outcome.
Constant pain in breast after lumpectomy
As all the ladies have said above it is unfortunately that way. I had lumpectomy on the right side and node biopsy followed by 6 weeks of radiation in 2017 and never felt 100% and have always suffered fatigue as well as pain and swelling. I was also told by my consultant it's for life so we just have to accept what is as hard as it is.
Constant pain in breast after lumpectomy
I am now 12 years after my first bout of cancer and 11 from the second. I didn't have radiotherapy, but I still have pain under the arm where I had 6 lymph nodes removed and pains in my chest. I consider this a small price to pay for staying alive.
How long does it take to recover from a lumpectomy?
After a lumpectomy with a lymph node biopsy, you may require up to a week off from work to recover.
How long does it take for a lumpectomy to heal?
It depends on several factors, such as the size of the lump to be removed, type of anesthesia, general health of the patient, and age of the patient. Generally, the healing time varies from a few days to a week.
What is lumpectomy surgery?
Lumpectomy is a breast conservative surgery (BCS), which means it removes the lesion or tumor while conserving most of the breast tissue. The surgery is often done to remove localized (early stage) breast cancer or a noncancerous mass. Radiation therapy may be given after a lumpectomy. In some women, lymph node removal (lymph node biopsy) ...
What are the complications of lumpectomy?
The complications of a lumpectomy may include: 1 Pain 2 Bleeding 3 Infection 4 Swelling (it usually goes away in a few days) 5 Tenderness 6 Numbness 7 Scarring at the site of the surgery 8 Change in the breast shape, size, or appearance 9 Complications related to anesthesia such as allergic reactions or breathing problems
What are the complications of breast surgery?
Numbness. Scarring at the site of the surgery. Change in the breast shape, size, or appearance. Complications related to anesthesia such as allergic reactions or breathing problems.
Can radiation be given after lumpectomy?
Radiation therapy may be given after a lumpectomy. In some women, lymph node removal (lymph node biopsy) may be done from the armpit to know whether the tumor has spread from the breast tissue.
Can breast surgery cause scarring?
The procedure generally causes little scar ring or changes in breast size and appearance. There may be some changes in breast size and appearance if the surgery is more invasive. If there is any problem with the cosmetic aspect of your breast, you may go for certain procedures to enhance breast appearance.
How long does it take to get a lumpectomy?
The procedure typically takes about 15 to 40 minutes.
How many lumpectomy surgeries are performed at MD Anderson?
A lumpectomy is the most common type of surgery used in breast cancer treatment. At MD Anderson, our breast cancer surgeons perform around 650 lumpectomies each year. So what is a lumpectomy, and what should breast cancer patients expect from the procedure and the recovery?
Why do people have lumpectomy?
A lumpectomy allows patients to conserve more of the breast. This may make it a more cosmetically appealing option. It also allows most patients to preserve the nipple and the surrounding area, and maintain more sensation or feeling than they might with a mastectomy.
Can you have a lumpectomy after breast cancer?
When paired with the right surveillance after treatment, a lumpectomy may also be an option for breast cancer patients who carry genetic mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2 that put them at a greater risk for cancer.
Can a lumpectomy be done with breast reconstruction?
This is a procedure in which surgeons remove nearby lymph nodes to determine if the cancer has spread. A lumpectomy may also be performed with breast reconstruction, or reconstruction can be done at another time, depending on the patient’s diagnosis and wishes.
Does MD Anderson do a second lumpectomy?
“But thanks to our thorough review process, most MD Anderson patients don’t need a second surgery, ” Singh says.
Can breast reconstruction take longer than lumpectomy?
This means that more patients were cancer-free after their lumpectomies. The surgery may take longer if the patient also decides to have breast reconstruction at the same time as the lumpectomy and depending on the type of reconstruction the patient chooses.
How to help with pain after breast cancer surgery?
Some studies show that acupuncture may help reduce pain after breast cancer surgery. Complementary therapies such as massage, reflexology and reiki can help create an overall sense of wellbeing. Speak to your specialist team before trying a complementary therapy.
Why does my arm hurt after breast surgery?
The pain is usually caused by bruising, stretching or damage to nerves during surgery ...
How to help with pain?
Exercise and physiotherapy. Regular exercise has been shown to ease lots of types of pain. Some people may need to be referred to a physiotherapist. They can help work out an exercise plan for you to improve movement and build up strength.
Can a GP refer you to a pain clinic?
You can ask your GP to refer you. At the pain clinic, you may see a doctor with a special interest in pain, or you might see a range of different healthcare professionals such as a doctor, nurse, physiotherapist and occupational therapist. Some pain clinics run a pain-management programme (PMP).
How long does it take for side effects to show up after radiation?
Some side affects won’t show up until months or years after your treatment. If you have a higher dose of radiation, your chances of getting side effects are more likely — but if you get too low of a dose of radiation, it won’t be as effective against the cancer and could leave cancer cells alive. Here are some long-term side effects to be aware of.
What is the swelling of the lymph nodes?
Another type of swelling called lymphedema is more common, and is a result of either lymph node removal surgery (which has nothing to do with radiation), or radiation that has damaged nearby lymph nodes. Lymphedema presents as swelling of the affected area, as the lymph nodes can no longer drain fluid properly.
Can lymphedema be cured?
Lymphedema presents as swelling of the affected area, as the lymph nodes can no longer drain fluid properly. Common areas where swelling may occur include the arm, hands, fingers, back, and chest. There is no cure for lymphedema, but there are ways to mitigate the pain and swelling, as we explain here.
Does radiation affect breasts?
Because of the location of your heart and lungs in relation to your breasts, radiation has the potential to cause heart and lung problems down the road — though this is far less common than the other side effects we’ve covered, as radiation has improved significantly over the years.
Is radiation a long term treatment?
If your doctor recommends radiation , there is a chance you will experience both short-term and long-term side effects, as with any treatment. But, compared to chemotherapy, radiotherapy is a lot easier to deal with and comes with fewer potential issues. Radiation can be used on its own or in combination with other treatments or surgeries, ...
Can radiation be used before surgery?
Radiation can be used on its own or in combination with other treatments or surgeries, and can be used before or after a surgery, depending on the stage of your cancer and your doctors’ recommendations. Despite its many positive attributes though, it is often misunderstood by breast cancer patients.
Can lymphedema cause cancer?
In rare cases, if left untreated, lymphedema can lead to a type of cancer called lymphangiosarcoma. However, it is one of the most rare and preventable cancers around. To learn more, read our in-depth article here. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Adiano.