Treatment for breast cancer
There are different types of treatment for each patient to remove as much cancer tissue as possible. Early-stage cancers can be treated with conservative surgery and certain medications. More advanced stages will require removal of the entire breast and lymph nodes under the arm. It is important to discuss these options carefully with the surgeon, as well as the advantages and disad-vantages of breast reconstruction.
Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs that target dividing cells too small for removal through surgery. These drugs disrupt normal dividing cells in the body, too, causing many side effects. Despite this, they are frequently very helpful in decreasing the risk of tumor recurrence.
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy rays similar to x-rays to kill cancer cells. It is painless but as notorious as chemotherapy for side effects. Its application is appropriate for certain types and stages of breast tumors.
Patients whose tumors express estrogen receptors are candidates for hormonal therapy with an estrogen-blocking drug called tamo-xifen. For women past menopause, newer and more expensive drugs called aromatase inhibitors are available. Finding HER-2/neu, a receptor some BRCA genes express, means you may have a higher chance of tumor recurrence. A compound called trastuzumab is a substance that blocks this receptor and helps stop breast cancer from growing. This is called biologic therapy.
After surgery, you will need to see your doctor every 3 to 4 months until otherwise instructed.
