Breast Cancer Treatment Information
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. It comes after lung cancer. This year alone, an estimated 200,000 women is expected to develop breast cancer. Caucasians seem to have a slightly higher risk, being really prevalent in North America, which comprises Canada and the United States as well as in Europe.
In the US alone, about two million women have already gone through some kind of treatment for breast cancer. The risk for developing breast cancer is pegged at a ratio of one is to eight while the risk of dying from breast cancer is pegged at 1 is to 28. These rates have actually gone down in recent years because of the successful campaigns launched by several women’s groups.
Getting a mammogram test is still the most common way to detect the problem. In fact, it is recommended that women undergo mammograms as it decreases the risk of dying from the condition by as much as 30 percent. Older women, 40 and above is actually advised to have mammograms every year while women who are 20-39 years old are advised to have the test conducted every years just to make sure that everything is normal. Remember that early detection can help nip the problem in the bud.
Treatment for breast cancer
Surgery
This is one of the treatment alternatives for breast cancer especially if the problem has not yet reached the terminal change where chemotherapy is needed. The extent of the surgery is actually dependent on how large the tumor is. Some women are lucky to be able to just undergo breast conservation therapy, wherein only the tumor and some breast tissues are removed.
This however should be combined with another form of treatment, radiation therapy, which is needed to make sure that the cancer does not spread on other parts of the body. If there are tumors in the lymph nodes under the arm, the surgeon may also remove some tissues in that area. This is often done to patients who are already in the stage 1 and 2 of the condition.
There are times though when the surgeon needs to remove a larger part of the breast in order to remove the threat of the cancer. This is called a segmental mastectomy. Like the BCT, segmental mastectomy also needs to be combined with radiation therapy in order to be completely effective.
Chemotherapy
Despite having the source of the cancerous tumors removed, the risk that the tumors have spread to the other parts of the body is still possible. Because of this, some oncologists suggest that patients undergo chemotherapy to make sure that all cancerous cells die. This will decrease the chances that the cancer will recur the next time.
Although chemotherapy is often given to patients who are on the higher stages of cancer, some experts believe that those in the initial stages can also benefit from the treatment. Still, before one decides to undergo chemotherapy, one must first think about side effects that chemotherapy may bring to the body.
Radiotherapy
This is another form of treatment for breast cancer. In fact, this is the most commonly used especially in the initial stages of the problem. In radiation therapy, the cells are treated with high energy rays that kills them off. Often, treatment procedures will take five times a week for up to a month and a half.
It is painless and usually takes about a few minutes. Radiation therapy, as mentioned above, is not only used as lone treatment. It is also used in combination with other treatment procedures for breast cancer such as BCT and mastectomy.
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