Pain after breast surgery for cancer

Dealing with breast cancer is challenging enough, but often not much thought is given to the long-term effects that breast cancer survivors may face after radiation therapy.
Pain after breast surgery for cancer
Radiation therapy as part of breast cancer treatment can cause delayed injuries
Dealing with breast cancer is challenging enough, but often not much thought is given to the long-term effects that breast cancer survivors may face after radiation therapy.
Breast conservation therapy, which includes surgery followed by radiation, is a common treatment for women with early-stage breast cancer. However, long-term survivors can face ongoing challenges due to late effects of the treatment. Studies show that up to 42% of women report pain in the treated breast tissue, 11% experience swelling (oedema), and 40% notice changes in the skin.

Radiation therapy contributes significantly to improving survival rates, but it can sometimes cause damage to the healthy tissue surrounding the treated area. If you experience pain right after your therapy, it might naturally improve over time. However, it’s important to stay vigilant; if you notice symptoms appearing later, be sure to report them to your GP.
- Delayed or late-onset symptoms can appear several months or even years after treatment:
- Chronic pain: Persistent pain in the treated breast or chest wall, which may last long after treatment ends.
- Lymphedema: Swelling in the arm, hand, or breast caused by fluid buildup due to damaged lymph nodes. This can develop months or years after treatment.
- Skin changes:
- Thickening, firmness, or discoloration of the skin may develop long after the radiation ends.
- Telangiectasia (small, visible blood vessels under the skin) may also appear.
- Breast fibrosis: Scar tissue can form in the breast, causing hardening or thickening of the tissue, which may appear months after radiation.
- Restricted movement: Limited mobility in the shoulder or arm, often due to fibrosis or scarring in the chest wall area.
- Delayed radiation pneumonitis: Inflammation of the lungs that may cause coughing, shortness of breath, or chest discomfort. This typically appears 6 to 12 months after radiation therapy.
How hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help with delayed radiation injuries
HBOT is a recognised treatment for delayed radiation injuries. It works by enhancing the oxygen supply to damaged tissues, which speeds up healing and reduces symptoms such as pain and swelling.
In a case study on our website, you can read about a 57-year-old woman who was referred to us by her GP. She was suffering from left chest wall pain and had a pain score of 7 out of 10. She also had limited movement in her left shoulder. These symptoms had persisted for 7 years since her radiation therapy.
After just one week of treatment, which included 5 sessions, this lady felt significantly better. By the time she completed her 30 sessions, she was pain-free.





This outcome aligns with the research of Dr U M Carl and colleagues on the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for late effects in women receiving radiation after breast-conserving surgery.
The study looked at women who had breast-conserving surgery followed by radiation. They were checked for pain, swelling, scarring (fibrosis), visible blood vessels under the skin (telangiectasia), and redness (erythema) before and after treatment. The results showed that after hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), many experienced less pain, swelling, and redness.
However, scarring and the appearance of visible blood vessels did not show much change with HBOT.


At Wesley Hyperbaric, we’ve worked with so many resilient breast cancer survivors. These women have been through so much, and while radiation treated their cancer, many are left trying to adjust to a new normal. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has really helped them get back their quality of life after facing the lasting effects of radiation.
HBOT benefits for delayed radiation injuries
Benefits of HBOT for radiation-induced soft tissue damage
- Speeds up healing: HBOT helps by increasing the amount of oxygen your body receives at higher pressure levels, which accelerates the healing process.
- Promotes new blood vessel formation: HBOT stimulates the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) in the affected tissue, improving overall tissue health.
- Encourages stem cell activity: HBOT mobilises stem cells to regenerate and repair damaged tissues, promoting better recovery.
- Reduces tissue thickening or scarring: HBOT may help reduce fibrosis in some individuals, although results can vary. While the study by Dr U M Carl et al., titled “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Late Radiation Tissue Injury in Breast Cancer Patients”, noted that hyperbaric oxygen therapy did not show significant changes in scarring in some cases, other research and clinical observations have reported improvements in certain patients.
For more details, visit our page on the benefits of HBOT.
Delayed radiation injuries FAQs
FAQs
How to get started with HBOT for delayed radiation injury?
- Get a referral from your GP to schedule an appointment with one of our hyperbaric doctors.
- If you are eligible, we will create a personalised treatment plan, and your therapy will begin.
- After completing the treatment, one of our doctors will reassess your condition to ensure the best outcome.
What is the process of HBOT treatment?
If you are eligible for HBOT treatment, this will be determined during your initial assessment with one of our hyperbaric doctors at Wesley Hyperbaric. Once confirmed, your therapy will begin. Learn more about what to expect during your sessions.
Which other conditions can be treated with HBOT?
HBOT is used to treat a variety of medical conditions, including:
- Air or gas embolism
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Clostridial myositis and myonecrosis (gas gangrene)
- Crush injury, compartment syndrome, and other acute traumatic ischemias
- Decompression sickness
- Enhanced wound healing for chronic non-healing wounds, particularly in diabetic foot ulcers
- Exceptional blood loss (severe anaemia)
- Intracranial abscess
- Necrotising soft tissue infections
- Osteomyelitis (refractory)
- Radiation tissue damage (soft tissue and bone necrosis)
- Skin grafts and flaps (compromised)
- Thermal burns
- Idiopathic Sudden
- Sensorineural Hearing Loss (ISSHL)
What are the risks of HBOT?
HBOT is considered low-risk when administered by trained medical professionals. For more information, click here.
Can you share some patient experiences?
Noel, who is 88, shares his positive experience in our blog: Noel’s story
Your journey starts with these 3 steps
When you have completed your hyperbaric sessions, your condition is reassessed by one of our doctors.