Breast cancer occurs when malignant cancer cells begin to grow and divide in breast tissue. Breast cancer may be detected by clinical examination, mammography or ultrasound and is further confirmed by biopsy. Your doctor determines your breast cancer treatment options based on your type of breast cancer, its stage, whether the cancer cells are sensitive to hormones, your overall health and your own preferences, states Mayo Clinic. There are different treatment options for breast cancer that you should be aware of.
Surgery
Many patients with breast cancer will undergo surgery. There are different types of surgical procedures for breast cancer. In early stages, a lumpectomy may be performed. This treatment removes the tumor and surrounding tissue while conserving the breast. A partial mastectomy involves removal of the affected part of the breast. Lymph nodes may also be removed during this time for testing. In more advanced cases, a mastectomy may need to be performed. In a mastectomy, the entire breast, lymph nodes and sometimes part of the chest wall are removed. Breast reconstruction may be done at the time of surgery or at a future time using the patient's own non-breast tissue or by using implants filled with saline or silicone gel, states the National Cancer Institute.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses potent drugs to kill cancer cells and keep them from multiplying and spreading. If your cancer has a high chance of returning or spreading to another part of your body, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy after surgery to decrease the chance that the cancer will recur, reports Mayo Clinic. Chemotherapy may be used prior to surgery to shrink a breast tumor or in cases where cancer has already spread to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy can be given intravenously or in the form of a pill.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high beam X-rays to destroy cancer cells. It may be done externally from a machine outside of the body or internally through seeds or rods placed in a cavity at or near the affected area.
