Radiation treatment for breast cancer has evolved from higher doses (50-60 gray) to current protocols of approximately 40 gray in 15 fractions, utilizing modern technology to reduce heart and lung exposure.

“these days it's actually only about 3 weeks of treatment maybe about uh say 40 gray and roughly 15 fractions uh we used to give even when I was in just just really a couple decades ago we were giving 50 to 60 gray was quite a bit higher dose uh but 40 gray and 15 fractions to the full breast and with the modern technology we can cover the breast tissue without uh a significant heart or lung dose we can even use tangential beams even if it's a left-sided tumor to stay away from the heart which are things that we couldn't do very well in the past”