Breast Cancer

Treatment 

Women are recommended to examine their breasts once in a month to detect any changes or lumps. If breast self -examination detects a lump, the family doctor should be consulted. In choosing therapy, the  physician takes into consideration the stage of the disease, the woman's age and menopausal status. Breast cancer is usually treated surgically along with chemotherapy, radio therapy and hormone therapy. Radio therapy kills cancer cells using gamma radiation. Chemotherapy may use Cytotoxic drugs to kill cancer cells both in the breast and elsewhere in the body. Modern treatments have greatly improved the quality and quantity  of life for breast cancer patients.

Surgery
Surgery is the first line of attack against breast cancer. There are two main type of surgeries for breast cancer

Lumpectomy (Breast-conserving surgery) :  Any form of surgery that removes only part of the breast is considered "breast-conserving" or "breast preservation" surgery.  Lumpectomy is the most common surgery used for best cancer today. It is used for patients with early stage invasive breast cancers. A part of the breast which contains the tumor and some normal tissues that  surrounds the tumor is removed during the surgery. Usually women with tumors 5 cm (2 inches) or less in diameter with positive or negative axillary lymph nodes, are gone under this treatment. After the surgery,  the patient may receive five to seven weeks of radiotherapy in order to eliminate any cancer cells that may be present in the remaining breast tissue.

Mastectomy : A method of surgery which involves the removal of the breast cancer and a larger portion of the normal breast tissue around the breast cancer or entire breast. Breast cancer surgery is done under general anesthesia and usually takes two to three hours. The surgeon may also remove the lining over the chest muscles below the tumor and some lymph nodes under the arm. Women who undergo a mastectomy have the option of breast reconstruction. 

Side effects include, wound infection, hematoma (accumulation of blood in the wound), and seroma (accumulation of clear fluid in the wound).

Chemotherapy
It is a combination of drugs which is effective to kill or slow the growth of rapidly multiplying cells. The drugs are given directly to vein or orally. The drug will travel to entire body through blood stream and will destroy the cancer cells beyond the breast. Chemotherapy is given in cycles of treatment followed by a recovery period. The entire chemotherapy treatment generally lasts three to six months, depending on the type of drugs given. When breast cancer is limited to the breast or lymph nodes, chemotherapy may be given after a lumpectomy or mastectomy. This is known as adjuvant treatment and may help reduce the chance of breast cancer recurrence.

The side effects will depend up on the type and amount of drugs you are given. The side effects include

Radiation Therapy
Radiotherapy is a highly effective treatment option which uses high levels of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing and dividing thus reducing damage to healthy cells. It is usually given to the breast to destroy cancer cells that may remain in your breast after breast conserving surgery, or in any breast tissue left on your chest after mastectomy. Having radiotherapy after surgery reduces the chance that reoccurrence in the same place  in the next 10 years. Radiation therapy is usually delayed until chemotherapy is complete. Early side effects of radiotherapy include skin reactions, tiredness and breast tenderness. These are usually mild and pass after a few weeks. Radiation therapy is not given during pregnancy because it can harm a fetus.

Two main types of radiotherapy are used to treat breast cancer: External Radiotherapy and Internal Radiotherapy

External Radio therapy : This is the usual method of radio therapy. In this therapy, radiation is focused from a source outside the body on the area affected by the cancer. Patients need to face the therapy at least six to eight weeks continuously. Deodorants and antiperspirants can interfere with external beam radiation therapy of the underarm area, so you should avoid using them until treatments are complete. In some women, the breast becomes smaller and firmer after radiation therapy.

Internal Radio Therapy ( Brachytherapy ) : This is a method of placing radioactive seeds directly into the breast tissue next to the cancer. The radiation is sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters. This type of radiation has the advantage of delivering the radiation from a close distance, and thereby deliver a higher dose of radiation while not causing as much damage to other structures. Some of the radioactive substances used for internal radiation treatment include cesium, iridium, iodine, phosphorus, and palladium. The side effects of implant therapy depend on the area being treated.

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