Hope this helps others with radiotherapy late effects

Going through breast cancer treatment Radiotherapy
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I had lumpectomy July 2025, radiotherapy September 2025 and sailed through everything. A bit of swelling, no pain, a bit of fatigue , manageable until February 2026. Swollen boob, hot boob, lumpy boob, swelling under arm, wearing bra impossible. Went to hospital, examination, ultrasound sound all good, the joys of late effects of radiotherapy. Advised to rub ibroprofen gel on 2/3 times a day , also to use moisturiser and when using knead breast like you would dough :woman_facepalming:. It worked!! 3 weeks later, swelling greatly reduced, heat gone, lumps still there but have moved about and are not so uncomfortable . Wish I’d known this sooner.

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@ar66

Thankyou for posting this. I’m having radiotherapy now so it’s good to see posts like these for future reference. Do you mind me asking how many days of radiotherapy you had ? x

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Useful info thanks. I seemed to sail through radiotherapy too (also August/September 2025, after chemo) then got hit with the late effects 3 months later. I’ve been referred to the lymphoedema service for the swelling but the lumps are quite distressing, I’ll try the massage technique, see if it helps.

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Hi I had 5 full breast, 4 targeted at tumour bed site. So

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Thankyou for posting your experience., it really is helpful that we share these things isnt it!

I have similar story and time frame. I finished 15 sessions last October after lumpectomy of reconstruction and implant replacement. I got a very red swollen breast in December so back to see surgeon who said '“Post surgical changes” Still red & hot in February so had an ultrasound. Again came back expected post surgical changes. Move on to March and I have had severe exhaustion, joint pain and still have a slightly less red & hot breast. So back to the oncologist. She cant say if its the tablets Exemestane or radiotherapy late effects so am on a 3 month break.

I think its hard to pin down the reason for all the late effects of breast cancer treatment but it does seem to be very common and normal considering what we’ve been through.

Im just grateful I didnt have Chemo to add to the mix. Xx