Breast cancer treatment options will vary depending on the stage of cancer a patient has and what type of breast cancer it is.
Why Different Cancers Require Different Treatments
Since every breast cancer is different, depending on the patient, the disease may require different kinds of treatment. The stage of the cancer will affect the cancer treatment, but so will the type of breast cancer which is found during the breast biopsy. For example, a breast cancer tumor may only need to be removed without any other treatment, but inflammatory breast cancer might require intense chemotherapy treatments.
Breast Lump Removal and Mastectomies
For those who have breast lumps, often the best treatment is simply to remove the lump and any other infected areas of the body. Since breast cancer can spread, it might also be in the lymph nodes around the breasts, which will then need to be removed as well. When the entire breast is affected or a patient wants to remove their breasts as a preventative measure, total mastectomies can be done in which all of the breast tissue is removed from the chest. Partial mastectomies and breast tissue saving surgeries are also possible in some breast cancer cases, helping a women keep her shape.
Chemotherapy
The high powered drugs in chemotherapy treatments will help to kill off any breast cancer cells which may be in the body. These drugs are strong and are given at regular intervals of the patient’s care. The most common thing women and men associate with chemotherapy are harsh side effects, which are still the case in modern medicine. Mane of these side effects can be managed more easily with other medications, but since the chemotherapy drugs kill off not only the unhealthy cells, but the health cells, side effects should be expected from the treatments.
Radiation Treatments
If surgery is not an option for breast cancer treatment, a patient may choose to have radiation therapy or they may have it after the surgery to ensure all of the cancer cells have been killed off. This targeted radiation will kill the cells of cancer, and hopefully leave as many healthy cells behind as possible. Those who undergo radiation therapy can have some side effects including diarrhea, exhaustion, and appetite loss.
Other Breast Cancer Medications
Some doctors might choose to have other medications as a part of the breast cancer treatment. When a breast cancer is sensitive to hormone levels, for example, there are hormone specific medications which can be given to slow the progression of the cancer.
These medications can include:
- Tamoxifen
- Aromatase inhibitors
- Herceptin
- Avastin
- Tykerb
Many of these medications can be used in conjunction with other therapies as well.