Radiation Oncology for Breast Cancer

Radiation oncology is a medical specialty that uses radiation therapy to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy for breast cancer involves using high-energy x-rays to precisely target your tumor. It may be used alone or in combination with other treatments to effectively treat breast cancer.

UPMC radiation oncologists use a wide variety of radiation delivery systems and techniques to treat breast cancer, enabling them to offer personalized care tailored to your condition and preferences.

Find the Right Care For You

Find a Location

What Is Radiation Oncology? 

What Types of Breast Cancer Do We Treat? 

Our radiation oncology experts treat all types of breast cancer using the most advanced, safest approaches. Many people receive radiation therapy after breast cancer surgery or chemotherapy to kill remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of recurrence.

Who’s Eligible for Radiation Oncology for Breast Cancer?

If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, you may be eligible for radiation oncology services. Radiation oncology is not recommended during pregnancy.

Your breast cancer care team will meet to discuss your case and recommend the best treatment plan for you.

What Radiation Oncology Treatments Do We Offer? 

UPMC offers the most advanced radiation oncology treatment options, including:

External beam radiation

External beam radiation uses special machines to administer a high dose of radiation directly to the cancer site. A small amount of healthy tissue at the margins of the tumor is also treated. Different machines and techniques may be used depending on your tumor type and location.

Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)

We use advanced imaging prior to and during treatment to precisely target your tumor and spare healthy tissue.

Imaging technologies may include:

CT simulation — Used prior to receiving radiation to ensure you are in the best position to effectively target your breast tumor.
PET-CT scans — Combines PET and CT technologies to assist radiologists in pinpointing the location of cancerous tissue, so a biopsy can be performed.
Respiratory gating — A tracking device “watches” the tumor’s position and briefly shuts off the treatment machine when the tumor moves beyond a certain point due to breathing or other involuntary movements.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)

IMRT is a technique that controls the intensity of the radiation beam throughout treatment. This technique can be combined with 3D conformal radiation, which shapes radiation beams to match the contours of your tumor. IMRT techniques reduce radiation exposure to healthy tissues.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation

Accelerated partial breast irradiation targets only the area surrounding the tumor, where breast cancer is most likely to recur.

Treatment options may include:

MammoSite^®, Contura^®, and Savi^® — Site-specific radiation therapies that deliver a five-day conformed dose of radiation directly to your tumor, helping to spare healthy tissue and decrease the risk for side effects.
Intracavitary breast radiation — Involves temporarily placing a container of radioactive material inside your breast to provide higher doses of radiation in a shorter time.

Hypofractionated (short-course) breast radiation

Recent studies have shown that for some patients, a four-week course of radiation is just as effective as a six-week course, with no difference in side effects. UPMC radiation oncologists offer short-course radiation for select patients to reduce their overall treatment time.

Balloon breast brachytherapy

Some patients with early-stage breast cancer may choose to receive balloon breast brachytherapy, a type of internal radiation therapy (high-dose rate brachytherapy) that is used after a lumpectomy.

During the procedure, your radiation oncologist and surgeon will:

Surgically place a balloon at the tumor site. The balloon has a special tube at the end.
Place a radioactive seed through the tube and into the balloon for a few minutes. The radiation is used to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Remove the seed after several minutes.

Balloon breast brachytherapy requires a shorter treatment period. Treatments are usually given 10 times over five days, and the balloon is removed once the treatment is over.

What Can I Expect? 

UPMC offers the most advanced approaches to radiation therapy.

In addition to a full range of treatment options, our comprehensive services include:

Collaborative care

Your comprehensive team of breast cancer experts includes:

Dosimetrist.
Medical physicist.
Nurses.
Physician assistant.
Radiation oncologists.
Radiation therapists.
Social workers.

We work closely with our colleagues in medical oncology, who provide chemotherapy, and surgical oncology, who perform breast cancer surgery, to create a multidisciplinary approach to treat your breast cancer. Some of our experts are also researching strategies for treating breast cancer using radiation therapy.

Pretreatment planning

UPMC radiation oncologists consider the type of breast surgery you received, the location of your cancer, and the stage of your cancer when planning your treatment.

A standard course of radiation therapy for breast cancer includes five days of treatment a week. Treatment itself only takes about 15 minutes each day, and you will not feel anything while your treatment is delivered. A course of radiation usually lasts four to six weeks.

Side-effect management

Side effects are caused by the cumulative effect of radiation on your cells. That means most people don’t experience any side effects until a few weeks into their treatment. Side effects usually affect only the area of the body that is being treated, and most are temporary.

Skin irritation, breast swelling, and fatigue are common short-term side effects. Long-term side effects may develop months or years after radiation therapy.

They can include:

Darkening or “tanning” of your skin.
Heart complications.
Lymphedema (swelling of your breast or arm).
Radiation pneumonitis (lung damage caused by radiation therapy).
Rib fracture.

Most patients tolerate radiation therapy well, and many stay active during treatment. UPMC offers a full range of supportive services to help patients manage the side effects of radiation therapy.

Why Choose UPMC for Breast Radiation Oncology Care?

 When you choose UPMC for breast radiation oncology care, you will receive:

Comprehensive breast cancer expertise — The breast radiation oncology experts at UPMC provide state-of-the-art care for every form of breast cancer at every stage of the disease.
Personalized, collaborative care — Our surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists work together to plan the best course of therapy for you.
Supportive services tailored to your needs — Our approach to breast cancer care honors your preferences by blending advanced clinical methods with supportive services for the best possible results.

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-09-18.