What are the types and treatments of Breast Cancer?

 

Breast cancer is a common type of cancer that occurs in women and rarely in men. It is a type of cancer that forms in the breast cells. The treatment for breast cancer is getting better all the time. Patients have many options now than before. No matter which type of treatment you are choosing, all breast cancer treatment has two main goals:

  • Get rid of as much as possible of cancer
  • To prevent the disease from coming back

The type of breast cancer treatment depends on the type, stage, age, and health of the patient

Various cancer treatment types

Surgery: surgery is the removal of a tumor and some cells around the tumor. It is also done to examine the lymph nodes nearby. Removal of whole breasts is called mastectomy and the removal of just the tumor cells and cells around it is called a lumpectomy.

Radiation therapy: high energy photons are used to kill cancer cells.

Chemotherapy: the usage of drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs might side effects like nausea, hair loss, and fatigue in the patients.

Hormone therapy: The hormone-like estrogen that fuels the growth of breast cancer is prevented using drugs. The common medicines include tamoxifen (Nolvadex) before and after menopause and aromatase inhibitors like anastrozole (Arimidex), exemestane (Aromasin), and letrozole (Femara) for postmenopausal women. The side effects may include vaginal dryness and hot flashes.

Targeted therapy: the targeted therapy boosts the immune system and helps destroy the cancer cells. The medicines target cancerous breast cells that have high levels of a protein called HER2. Each drug targets different functions of the cancer cells and destroys it.

Immunotherapy: it is a type of treatment that uses the body’s immune system to target and destroy cancer cells. Atezolizumab (Tecentriq) is the drug approved for the first line of treatment for triple-negative breast cancer.

Bottom line

With various types of treatment, available patients can choose the best option for discussion with the doctor.

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