Breast cancer is a disease in which cancer cells begin to form in the tissues of the breast and develop into cancerous tumors, especially in the milk-producing ducts and lobules--glands that produce milk. Though far more common in women, it is possible for men to develop breast cancer. In the United States, breast cancer kills more women each year than any other cancer except lung cancer, according to 2010 information from MedlinePlus. The particular medical situation determines the type of treatment given.
Surgery
Typically, surgery provides the first line of defense against breast cancer. Appropriate surgical treatments depend on the stage of the cancer. The goal of a lumpectomy, is removing only the breast tumor with a limited amount of associated tissue. In mastectomy, the surgeon removes all or part of the breast. Additionally, the lymph node, called the sentinel node, which receives the lymph drainage from the cancer, is also biopsied. If cancer is found in this lymph node, additional lymph nodes are removed from the armpit. Knowing if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes helps determine the best course of treatment, according to MayoClinic.com.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, is a local treatment that uses high energy x-rays to kill remnants of the tumor left behind in the breast after surgery. It is sometimes also used to shrink tumors prior to other treatments, such as chemotherapy. Radiation therapy can prevent breast cancer recurrence by 70 percent, according to BreastCancer.org. There are many side effects when undergoing radiation therapy that include fatigue and a red, sunburn-like rash in the target area.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Chemo drugs destroy both primary cancer cells and any other cancer cells that have spread beyond the original organ. Sometimes, chemotherapy is given before surgery, called non-adjuvant therapy, in patients with tumors larger than one centimeter. In non-adjuvant therapy, a large tumor is first shrunk before it is surgically removed.
