Depending on the stage of your breast cancer, there are various treatment options from which to choose. Other factors in treatment choices include your general health, your preferences and the kind of breast cancer you have. In many cases, treatment plans consist of more than one mode of therapy, to help reduce the risk of future recurrences. Typical breast cancer treatments include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.
Surgery
Surgery for breast cancer can consist of lumpectomy (which can also be called breast-conserving surgery) or mastectomy. The kind of surgery that is done can depend on the size and placement of the tumor, the extent of the cancer and patient preference. Lumpectomy involves removal of the breast tumor and a surrounding margin of healthy tissue, to ensure the tumor was removed in full. Mastectomy consists of the removal of all of the breast tissue. In both surgeries, lymph nodes may be removed; the number of lymph nodes removed can vary, depending on whether cancer was found in the nodes and how many nodes were cancerous.
Side effects of lumpectomy can include pain, swelling, scar tissue formation and infection. In lumpectomy, a change in breast shape may be noticeable, depending on how much of the breast is removed. Mastectomy side effects can include infection, pain, arm and shoulder stiffness and numbness. With both surgeries, if lymph nodes under the arm were removed, lymphedema may occur. Lymphedema is a buildup of lymph fluid in the arm, which causes swelling.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and slow down cancer growth. In breast cancer, radiation may be given in two ways. External beam radiation uses a machine to send radioactive rays to the cancerous area. Brachytherapy, or internal radiation, consists of radioactive seeds or pellets surgically placed in the breast near the tumor. Side effects of radiation can include a feeling of heaviness in your breast; swelling; redness of the skin similar to a sunburn; fatigue; heart problems; lung problems and a lowered white blood cell count, which can increase your risk of infection.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy, which is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells, can be administered intravenously or orally in a capsule. It is a systemic therapy, which means it can kill cancer cells throughout the body, since it travels through the bloodstream. Treatment is typically given in cycles, with weeks of treatment followed by weeks without treatment, to let your body recuperate. There are many different chemotherapy drugs that can be used to treat breast cancer, and drug regimens typically consist of more than one drug, to increase effectiveness. Common side effects of chemotherapy include hair loss, fatigue, lowered white and red blood cell counts (leading to increased risk of infection and anemia), taste changes, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea.
Hormone Therapy
Like chemotherapy, hormone therapy is also a systemic kind of therapy. According to the American Cancer Society, two out of three breast cancers are estrogen-receptor positive, which means estrogen helps these cancers grow. Anti-estrogen medications like Tamoxifen block the receptors on cancer cells that can bind to estrogen, which prevents further cancer growth. Other hormone therapies block enzymes that help make estrogen and destroy estrogen receptors. Side effects of hormone therapy drugs can include osteoporosis, hot flashes, bone pain, fatigue and headache.
