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Breast Cancer Therapies
Radiation therapy
High-energy rays are used in radiation therapy, often known as radiotherapy, to kill cancer cells. The breast could
receive the radiation. breast by a machine (external radiation).
Another source of radiation is radioactive material implanted directly into the breast in the form of tiny plastic
tubes (implant radiation). Some women receive radiation therapy from both sources.
For external radiation therapy, the patient goes to the hospital or clinic, generally 5 days a week for several
weeks. An inpatient stays in the hospital for implant radiotherapy. For several days, the implants stay in place.
They are removed before the woman goes home. Sometimes, depending on the size of the tumor and other
factors, radiation therapy is used after surgery, especially after breast-sparing surgery. The radiation
destroys any breast cancer cells that may remain in
the area.
Radiation therapy may be used alone, in combination with chemotherapy, or in place of surgery to shrink tumors
and eradicate cancer cells. When a breast tumor is huge or difficult to remove surgically, this method is most
frequently employed.
A patient might want to ask her doctor these questions before beginning radiation therapy:
- Why do I need this treatment?
- What are the risks and side effects of this treatment?
- Are there any long-term effects?
- When will the breast cancer treatments begin? When
will they end?
- How will I feel during therapy?
- What can I do to take care of myself during therapy?
- Can I continue my normal activities?
- How will my breast look afterward?
- What are the chances that the tumor will come back in my breast?
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy for
breast cancer Most breast cancer treatments involve a cocktail of medications. The medications
can be administered orally or intravenously Either way, the drugs enter the bloodstream and travel
throughout the body.
Most patients have chemotherapy in an outpatient part of the hospital, at the doctor's office, or at home.
Depending on which drugs are given and her general health, however, a woman may need to stay in the hospital
during her treatment.Using hormone treatment prevents cancer cells from obtaining the hormones they require to
proliferate.Thisbreast cancer treatment may include
the use of drugs that change the way hormones work, or surgery to remove the ovaries, which
make female hormones. Like chemotherapy, hormonal therapy can affect cancer cells throughout
the body.The goal of biological therapy is to strengthen the body's inherent anti-cancer defenses.
. For example, Herceptinรยฎ (trastuzumab) is a monoclonal antibody that targets
breast cancer cells that have too much
of a protein known as human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2). By blocking HER-2,
Herceptin slows or stops the growth of these cells. Herceptin may be given by itself or along
with chemotherapy.Patients may want to ask these questions about systemic therapy (chemotherapy,
hormonal therapy, or biological therapy):
- Why do I need this treatment?
- If I need hormonal treatment, which would be better for me, drugs or an operation?
- What drugs will I be taking? What will they do?
- Will I have side effects? What can I do about them?
- How long will I be on this treatment?
