Explore Breast Cancer Treatment Options
If you or someone close to you has just found out that they have breast cancer, there are probably a lot of questions running through your mind. One of those is probably in regard to what treatment options are available to you. Now, it is up to your doctor to decide which breast cancer care options you are suited for and then discuss those options with you. To help you be a little more prepared for that talk, you may want to learn a little bit about the various types of treatments and how they work.
Surgery
This is the option that a lot of doctors like when the cancer is easy to locate and in a position where simply cutting it out of the body is easily done. This is probably the least intensive option since it is usually just one surgery and a recovery period. In some cases, surgery may result in the complete removal of the breasts.
Chemotherapy
This is a treatment plan that makes use of medication to kill cancer cells. It is usually done over the course of several weeks, often requiring second and third rounds of treatment. This is especially true for aggressive types of breast cancer and for those who have reached the late stages of the disease.
Radiation Therapy
This treatment plan includes the use of extremely high doses of radiation. The rays are used to attack the cancer cells. You will need many treatments. The exact number of treatments will be determined by how aggressive the cancer is and how well your body reacts to the treatment.
Hormonal Therapy
Cancer cells need certain hormones to grow. The hormone treatment plan is designed to block the cancer cells from getting those hormones. This in turn prevents the cancer from growing and getting worse very quickly. This is sometimes the treatment used when the patient is not able to use any of the other treatment methods.
Remember, every patient will have their own unique set of needs. Your doctor will talk with you about the treatment options they feel are best for you according to the stage of cancer you have and your overall general health. Try to make sure that you are getting in touch with all of the doctors that you have been referred to in order to get a treatment plan started. You never want to wait because that can allow the cancer time to spread throughout your body.
For more information on breast cancer treatment, contact a professional near you.
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