Local treatment method mostly employed in cancer treatment, whereby ionizing electromagnetic radiations (X-rays or gamma-rays) are used to target the DNA. It may have curative, adjuvant, or palliative purposes. It is a key component in mutimodal conservative breast cancer treatment. However, from a lymphologic point of view, it is one of the major causes of lymphatic structure fibrosis, therefore it is often responsible for worsening the clinical picture and lymphostasis.
Figure: Outcome of radiotherapy in post-mastectomy patient.