Breast Cancer Treatment Options
If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, your treatment options depend on various factors (such as tumor size and metastasis) and may include:
- Hormone therapy: Hormonal drugs, such as tamoxifen, are administered to treat breast cancer and prevent future cancers.
- Chemotherapy: A combination of medications that affects all parts of the body, to kill cancer cells remain after surgery and radiation. Its purpose is to prevent a recurrence of the cancer and to increase your chances of survival.
- Radiation therapy: This treatment aims to damage or destroy cancer cells by blasting them with radiation from x-ray or gamma ray devices.
- Surgery: All breast cancer patients require some form of surgery. These include:
- Lumpectomy: Removing the cancerous lump and some of the surrounding tissue.
- Mastectomy: Removing the entire breast tissue
- Reconstructive surgery: An elective surgery that seeks to rebuild the breast.
When surgery is necessary there are several points you must discuss with your surgeon:
- Find out what your surgeon's level of experience in treating breast cancer. Ask:
- How many women with breast cancer (s)he treats annually?
- What types of surgical procedures (s)he generally utilizes to treat your cancer?
- If (s)he is board certified in surgery?
- If (s)he is affiliated with a medical school or research center that has access to the latest treatments and technologies?
- Do I have any additional treatment options?
- Are you able to perform nodal surgery that could help detect the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes?
- Basic questions about the surgery - Are there side effects? How long will it take to heal? Will you be performing follow-up care?
If the answer to any of your questions is unsatisfactory and your insurance covers a second opinion, feel free to seek out a doctor you trust and with whom you are comfortable.
In addition to the questions you should ask your surgeon, there are several other steps you should personally take prior to a surgery:
- Provide all doctors with a complete picture of your medical history.
- Avoid doctors that force treatments without providing knowledgeable advice first.
- Check your health insurance coverage levels before consenting to potentially expensive treatments.
- Ask how to prepare for surgery.
- Ask what needs to be done in preparation for returning home and what you can expect once you have.
Please use these charts as a basic guide of what to expect from various breast cancer treatments:
**This website should be used as an educational tool only. If you suspect you have symptoms of breast cancer, please contact a licensed physician for diagnosis and treatment.**