Breast Cancer Treatment for Breast Cancer Patients

Treatment for Breast Cancer Patients

Different Types of Breast Cancer Treatment

Surgery is the most common treatment for breast cancer. Women with cancer may have either a lumpectomy, which is removal of the tumor and a narrow margin of cells around it, or mastectomy, which is removal of nearly all breast tissue.

Many women with early stage breast cancer may have a lumpectomy. Studies have indicated that survival rates for lumpectomy with radiation therapy are as effective as mastectomy in treating early stage breast cancer. In most cases, reconstruction of the breast is not necessary when a patient has a lumpectomy.

Sometimes a lumpectomy is not enough. For example, a woman may have excessive amounts of pre-cancer tissue (called DCIS or LCIS) in the breast, or the tumor may be large in relation to breast tissue. In these cases, the woman may have a mastectomy.

Unless the cancer is caught extremely early, underarm lymph nodes are usually removed during surgery to help identify whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Radiation therapy uses "x-rays" to damage cancer cells and prevent them from spreading to other locations in the body. The radiation is usually administered daily over a period of a few weeks. Many breast cancer patients have radiation treatments following a lumpectomy.

Chemotherapy involves using a combination of drugs to kill cancer cells that may have spread to other places in the body. The drugs are usually administered through an IV at the medical facility. Medical science has developed a series of anti-nausea drugs that help eliminate some of chemotherapy's legendary side effects.

Hormone therapy blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow. The most common hormone medication for breast cancer is called Tamoxifen. It has also recently been identified as an option for helping prevent breast cancer in women who are at a high risk of developing the disease.

Additional Reading:

• Breast Cancer Treatment Guidelines for Patients - from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
• Information for People with Cancer - from the National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Section Contents

• Information on the Internet Main Page

• Early Detection - Learn about the importance of regular examinations and how they provide your first line of defense.

• Treatment (You are here) - Discussion of some of the treatment options available

• Reconstruction Options - An overview of reconstruction options, should a woman choose reconstruction after treatment.

• Visitor's Stories - Experiences from visitors to the site.

  • Kari's Story - Learn about the woman who was the driving force behind this section of the site.

  • Connie's Story - Read about her breast cancer and treatment.

• Links to other Breast Cancer Information Sites - Other online resources you can use to learn more about breast cancer topics, information and issues.