when I met with the Radiation Oncologist, he told me that radiation would lower my risk of re-occurrence from 30% to less than 5% so it was a "no-brainer" for me..I was advised in my case that radiation would kill any cancer cells that surgery/chemo might have missed...I personally wanted to do everything to lower my risk of it coming back....I am 8 mos from radiation and the only side effects I got was breast skin thickening which is not painful and can't be seen by others....good luck!