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How can radiation therapy and surgery work together to treat breast cancer?

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linear accelerator; external beam radiation therapy — radiation therapy External beam radiation therapy (also known as external beam teletherapy, or long-distance therapy) being delivered using a machine known as a linear accelerator.

Radiation therapy and surgery are often used in tandem to treat breast cancer, as their combined application addresses the limitations of each individual method.1

Surgery is highly effective for removing a localized tumor, but it may fail to eliminate cancer cells that have spread beyond the surgical margins. Conversely, radiation therapy is particularly effective at eradicating undetected disease at the periphery of a tumor, though it is less effective at destroying the center of large tumor masses.1

By performing a lumpectomy—a limited excision of the breast tumor—followed by radiation, the strengths of one treatment offset the weaknesses of the other. Additionally, radiation may be employed before surgery to shrink tumors, making them easier to remove, or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancerous tissue. This integrated approach helps maximize the therapeutic effect while minimizing the need for more invasive procedures.21