Which type of therapy can be used to kill any remaining cancer cells in the breast or chest wall area?

Radiation therapy is specifically designed to target and kill any remaining cancer cells in the breast or chest wall area after surgical removal of a tumor. It utilizes high-energy rays, such as X-rays, to destroy cancer cells by damaging their DNA, which prevents them from dividing and growing. This localized treatment is often employed following lumpectomy or mastectomy to minimize the risk of cancer recurrence in the treated area.

In contrast, chemotherapy utilizes drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body and typically involves systemic treatments that can affect rapidly dividing cells in both cancerous and healthy tissues. Immunotherapy works by harnessing the body’s immune system to combat cancer, while hormone therapy is aimed at cancers that are hormone-sensitive, focusing on blocking the body’s natural hormones that can encourage cancer growth. However, these therapies do not specifically target the localized cancer cells remaining in the breast or chest wall the way radiation therapy does.