Welcome! Thank you for choosing the UCSF Breast Radiation Oncology Program for your care. We look forward to seeing you!

The Breast Radiation Program is based at UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion, 1600 Divisadero St., San Francisco. Patients are seen on the basement level and second floor of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Radiation treatments are typically delivered in our office on the basement level.

Hours of Service: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How to contact us: For new patient appointments call (415)353-9807. To speak to a nurse, call (415) 353-9943 during normal hours of service. After hours and on weekends, call (415) 353-7175. Ask for the radiation oncology resident on call.

What is Radiation Therapy?
Radiation is an effective means of treating cancer and, in some cases, non-cancerous conditions. Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to kill cancer cells. Radiation for breast cancer treatment can be given after lumpectomy or mastectomy depending on the circumstances. It may be combined with chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy.

Why Radiation Therapy?

The use of radiation for cancer treatment began at the turn of the 20th century, shortly after Marie Curie purified radium from pitchblende (one of the main mineral ores of uranium) in 1898.

Radiation kills cancer cells by causing the production of "free radicals". This process changes the DNA of the cancer cells and prevents them from reproducing. The cancer cells die when they can no longer multiply and the body naturally eliminates them. Healthy tissues are spared the effects of radiation because they can repair the DNA changes unlike the cancer cell. In addition, normal tissues are shielded as much as possible while targeting the radiation to the cancer site.

• What to Expect
• Side Effects of Breast Cancer Treatment
• What Will My Schedule for Radiation Be Like?
• Do's and Don't During Treatment
• Follow-up Appointments
• The Health Care Team in Radiation Oncology
• What Are the Possible Complications of Breast Radiation?

Click to download the UCSF Radiation Therapy informational guide as a PDF