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Radiation therapy as primary treatment is a promising technique for women who have early stage breast cancer. This procedure allows a woman to keep her breast and involves lumpectomy followed by radiation (x-ray) treatment.
Once a biopsy has been done and breast cancer has been diagnosed, radiation treatment usually involves the following steps:
For external radiation therapy, a machine beams x-rays to the breast and possibly the underarm lymph nodes. The usual schedule for radiation therapy is 5 days a week for about 5 weeks. In some instances, a "booster" or concentrated dose of radiation may be given to the area where the cancer was located. This can be done with an electron beam or internally with an implant of radioactive materials.
If you are having radiation therapy as primary treatment for early stage breast cancer, it should be done by a qualified, board-certified radiation therapist who is experienced in this form of treatment.
For detailed information about radiation therapy, see .