15 years after the sequelae of breast-conserving radiotherapy

The complications of chemoradiotherapy for breast cancer are related to the direct location of the breast cancer. If breast cancer is simply treated with direct radiation to the sternum, the main complication is skin damage. The skin may turn red or even darken. The skin will gradually recover 1-3 months after the completion of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. If axillary lymph node dissection is performed during breast cancer surgery, axillary lymph node radiotherapy will also be required, which may cause edema of the upper limbs, especially edema of the upper limb of the affected limb.

The treatment of simple skin damage generally involves keeping the skin dry and avoiding sun exposure; at the same time, applying a skin and mucous membrane protective film. If the affected side is edematous, which is caused by direct irradiation of the axillary lymph nodes, the patient should be encouraged to lift the affected side, which can relieve the edema of the upper limb. If the edema is very severe, it should be treated with dehydrating agents. If the patient experiences drowsiness, poor appetite, or even a decrease in white blood cell count during radiotherapy, drowsiness and loss of appetite can be treated with megestrol acetate orally to improve the patient's appetite; the decrease in white blood cell count can be treated with white blood cell-raising drugs orally or by intramuscular injection depending on the situation.

The common adverse reactions of radiotherapy and chemotherapy are, first, the impact on blood counts. Radiation has a certain inhibitory effect on the bone marrow, which can cause a decrease in blood counts, including a decrease in white blood cell counts and blood cells. This situation may occur. Secondly, hair loss may occur, which can be gradually restored after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Third, it can cause local skin damage, such as burning, dryness, increased skin sensitivity, and even blisters. In this case, the skin is very sensitive and should be avoided as much as possible from external irritation, such as scratches from hard objects. In this case, damage is very likely to occur.

Therefore, try to avoid contact with hard objects, and do not push hard with a towel when taking a bath, as this can easily cause skin damage. You can only wash it slowly, which is a partial situation. If the patient is pursuing breast-conserving therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may also cause some skin damage and swelling to the breast. In addition, some new methods can avoid damage to the heart and lungs, but in fact there is still a small amount of radiation that causes some damage to the heart and lung functions, causing some heart problems and lung inflammation. These are common adverse reactions of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. These adverse reactions should have some corresponding solutions or prevention methods through communication with the doctor.