Radiation Therapy

[Martin_Sandel@fpl.com]

Hello!
   I need a little help ( information! ) from the medical professionals
in the group if possible.  I'm a power plant tech. and am not real
familiar with the regimens used for various radiation therapies!
 Background: My mother in-law just had a small malignant mass removed
from one of her breasts. The doctors got all of the malignancy and the area
of tissue around it that was removed was clear of cancerous cells.  They
performed
a dye / radioactive dye flow test ( sorry, that's the power plant
terminology creeping in!)
to determine which lymph nodes were in the  particular quadrant that the
lump was in.
 They determined which was the sentinel node for the quadrant and removed
it and two
or three others in proximity to check. They were free of cancerous cells as
well.
 The doctors are now going to give her a course of radiation therapy to
ensure that
there are no surviving cancerous cells.  The therapy is for (5) days a
week, for (6)
weeks.  The exposure time will be about (10) minutes a day!
My question is:  Generally, what are the dosages involved in a regimen of
this
nature and the health effects to be expected from it?
  Any information will be appreciated!  Thanks!!

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