After being diagnosed with breast cancer, you may feel anxious about your upcoming surgery, chemotherapy and other treatments. Breast cancer treatment can be physically and emotionally challenging, but most people with this disease will survive. With the right support and guidance, most patients will experience few lasting effects from their breast cancer treatment.If you have breast cancer, you can expect your treatment plan to be as specific as possible. This will help you understand what to expect during treatment and what precautions you need to take after treatment ends. Your doctor and other health care team will review your diagnosis, treatment options and potential risks and side effects with you during initial appointments. At these appointments, you’ll also have the chance to ask any questions and discuss your unique situation and needs. The more you know about your specific situation and treatment options, the better equipped you will be to make informed decisions about your care.
There are several different types of breast cancer treatment that your doctor may recommend based on the size and type of tumor and your overall health. - Surgery: Breast cancer surgery is often done to remove the tumor(s) with the hope of curing the patient. The type of surgery will depend on where the tumors are located and how much breast tissue needs to be removed. -Chemotherapy: This is a type of treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It may be used after surgery to prevent the cancer from recurring, or it may be used alone as primary treatment. It is used to treat both early- and advanced-stage breast cancer.-Hormonal therapy: Hormonal therapy is used to treat breast cancer that has spread to the bones, liver, lungs and other parts of the body. Hormonal therapy is not used if the tumor has only spread to the lymph nodes.-Targeted therapy: This type of treatment is used to treat advanced breast cancer that has not responded to hormone therapy or other treatments. - Radiation therapy: This type of treatment is used to destroy cancer cells that are in the breast and nearby lymph nodes. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, radiation may be used to boost the immune system against the cancer.
Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. It may be used after surgery to prevent the cancer from recurring, or it may be used alone as primary treatment. It is used to treat both early- and advanced-stage breast cancer.Chemotherapy drugs are often given intravenously (into a vein) or intravenously and orally (into a vein and through your digestive tract). These drugs are often given in the form of a drip or injections into a vein. You may receive chemotherapy in the hospital, at home or at a clinic.The side effects of chemotherapy depend on the drugs you receive, their dosage, and the length of time they’re given. Most side effects are mild to moderate and often go away after treatment ends. The side effects of chemotherapy may be treated or prevented with medicines.There are many types of chemotherapy drugs, but they can be grouped into 3 main categories based on how they work:
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays or other types of energy to damage or kill cancer cells. It can be used to treat breast cancer that has not responded to hormone therapy or other treatments. Radiation therapy is often used to treat breast cancer that has spread to the bones, liver, lungs and other parts of the body. When radiation is used to treat breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, it is called lymph node radiation therapy.
This is a type of breast cancer treatment that is used if the cancer is in one part of the breast. It is also used if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. This type of treatment is recommended for patients who can recover quickly from surgery. The goal of this type of treatment is to destroy all cancer cells in the breast and lymph nodes while keeping the breast as intact as possible.Lumpectomy with boost radiation uses a high dose of radiation to destroy all the cancer cells in the breast near the tumor. This is called a boost because it is given after the surgery to destroy any cancer cells that may have been left behind. This type of treatment is used for patients who need to maintain a healthy amount of breast tissue after surgery.
If part of your breast was removed during surgery, you may choose to have breast reconstruction to improve your body image and self-esteem. Breast reconstruction can be done in several ways, including with implants, your own body tissue or a combination of the two. Breast reconstruction procedures are designed to match your natural breast as closely as possible.This is an important decision that you will need to discuss with your doctor. You may want to consider breast reconstruction if you have a large amount of breast tissue removed or if you have other health issues that make breast reconstruction more challenging.
- What is Breast Cancer? - What are the main types of Breast Cancer treatments? - What are the treatment options for breast cancer? - What are the side effects of Breast Cancer treatment? - What is the process of Breast Cancer diagnosis? - Is Breast Self-Examination effective? - What are the Breast Cancer risk factors? - How can you reduce your Breast Cancer risk? - Is Breast Cancer hereditary? - Is Breast Self-Examination effective?