A Closer Look at Major Breast Cancer Therapy Options

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FREMONT, CA: There are various approaches to treating breast cancer, and it is common to use a mix of medicines. Considering each alternative's potential benefits, drawbacks, and hazards is crucial. Some treatments target specific properties of cancer cells; therefore, they are only effective for certain tumors. Some treatments are determined by the cancer's growth rate and spread. Breast cancer treatment is not the same for everyone.

Major breast cancer therapy options are listed below:

Lumpectomy:

A lumpectomy, sometimes known as "breast-sparing surgery," removes both the tumor and a margin of healthy tissue around it. The surgeon may also extract the sentinel lymph nodes under the arm. If patients have ductal carcinoma in situ or early-stage breast cancer, they might consider a lumpectomy.

A lumpectomy is also an option for those with bigger tumors who have received neoadjuvant treatment and had a good or "complete response," which implies that all of the cancer has been removed.

Breast reconstruction:

In some circumstances, it is feasible to preserve some skin, nipple, and areola for reconstruction. Breast reconstruction, if desired, can be performed concurrently with the mastectomy or afterward.

There are several sorts of reconstruction operations. The surgeon may utilize an implant or tissue from another body region.

Surgeries:

For some people, surgery is the first line of treatment to eliminate cancer. A lymph node biopsy might be performed concurrently to help stage the cancer.

Total mastectomy:

A total mastectomy, sometimes known as a "simple mastectomy," involves the surgeon removing the entire breast. It frequently entails the removal of sentinel lymph nodes. A modified radical mastectomy involves the surgeon removing the whole breast as well as the majority of the lymph nodes under the arm.

Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy is a systemic medication that can eradicate cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy can help:

Before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy):

can decrease large tumors and enable less invasive surgery, e.g., a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy. 

After surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy):

to treat patients with inflammatory or triple-negative breast cancer, to eliminate cancer cells that remain, and to reduce the likelihood of cancer recurrence.