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Radiotherapy for secondary breast cancer

Your cancer specialist may recommend radiotherapy for secondary breast cancer for at least two different reasons.
They are:

  • To destroy cancer cells that have spread from your breast to another part of your body, such as your lymph nodes, brain or bones. This may also help to relieve any symptoms that you're getting as a result of your secondary breast cancer
  • To stop your ovaries from making the hormone, oestrogen, if a receptor test shows that it may be helping your cancer cells to grow, and you haven't had your menopause yet.

Side effects

A course of radiotherapy for secondary breast cancer is usually shorter than for primary breast cancer, so the side effects are likely to be milder.

See side effects of radiotherapy for breast cancer.

If you have radiotherapy to your ovaries to stop you making oestrogen, you may get some menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, vaginal dryness and mood swings. Your doctor or cancer nurse may be able to recommend things that can help you.

Your feelings

You may also feel rather emotional about becoming menopausal, even if you were not planning to have any more children. Take your time, and don't feel pressured into pretending everything's fine if it isn't.

You may find it helpful to talk to someone about how you feel
You may find it helpful to talk to someone about how you feel - either at the hospital where you are being treated, through your GP, or through a support organisation such as Breast Cancer Care.

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