Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer treatment can be done in several ways. One such way is through surgery when the tumor is localized, that is, when the tumor has not spread to other parts. Surgery can be performed with adjuvant hormonal therapy, chemotherapy and or radiotherapy. Patients are divided into high or low risk depending on their age, the type of cancer, the size of the tumor and metastasis. Different rules of therapy are followed depending on the whether the patient has a high or a low risk. Mastectomy is the surgical removal of the entire breast while lumpectomy is a breast-conservation surgery that involves the removal of the lump only. On whether mastectomy or lumpectomy should be performed as a breast cancer treatment procedure depends on the staging and the type of tumor.
In cases where two or more tumors exist on the same breast or where the tumor is large relative to the size of the breast, mastectomy may be the best type of treatment. Mastectomy may also be used in instances where the breast has previously received therapy or in cases where the patient is wary of a local recurrence after a lumpectomy. Radiation therapy is another treatment method for patients who have undergone lumpectomy or mastectomy. This type of therapy involves the use of high-energy x-rays or gamma rays on a tumor or a post surgery tumor site. This type of breast cancer treatment is used to reduce the risk of a recurrence.Some side effects of radiation therapy include, fatigue, change in skin color and texture which should return to normal in about two months after treatment. Sometimes the change in color may be permanent. Other side effects are mild swelling, muscle stiffness and tenderness of the area. Chemotherapy may be used before, after or instead of surgery.