| The mainstay of breast cancer treatment
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| | are very effective in destroying the
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| is surgery when the tumor is localized,
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| | cancer cells that might recur where the
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| with possible adjuvant hormonal therapy,
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| | tumor was removed. These X-rays are
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| chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. At
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| | delivered by a machine called a linear
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| present, the treatment recommendations
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| | Accelerator or LINAC. Alternatively, the
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| after surgery (adjuvant therapy) follow a
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| | use of implanted radioactive catheters,
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| pattern. Depending on clinical criteria
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| | similar to those used in prostate cancer
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| (age, type of cancer, size, metastasis)
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| | treatment, is being evaluated. The use of
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| patients are roughly divided to high risk
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| | radiation therapy for breast cancer is
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| and low risk cases which follow different
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| | usually given after surgery has been
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| rules for therapy. Treatment
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| | performed and is an essential component
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| possibilities include Radiation Therapy,
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| | of breast conserving therapy. The purpose
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| Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, and Immune
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| | of radiation is to reduce the chance that
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| Therapy.
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| | the cancer will recur.
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| Information on Breast Cancer Treatments
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| | Hormonal Treatment
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| Surgery
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| | Hormonal therapy is a very effective
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| Depending on the staging and type of the
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| | treatment against breast cancer that is
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| tumor, just a lumpectomy (removal of the
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| | hormone-receptor-positive. Find out if
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| lump only) may be all that is necessary
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| | you should be tested to see if you need
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| or removal of larger amounts of breast
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| | other therapies, as well. Sometimes
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| tissue may be necessary. Surgical removal
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| | called "anti-estrogen therapy," hormonal
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| of the entire breast is called
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| | therapy blocks the ability of the hormone
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| mastectomy. Standard practice requires
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| | estrogen to turn on and stimulate the
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| that the surgeon must establish that the
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| | growth of breast cancer cells. Tamoxifen
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| tissue removed in the operation has
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| | is the drug most commonly used to block
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| margins clear of cancer, indicating that
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| | estrogen receptors on cancer cells, in
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| the cancer has been completely excised.
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| | effect, denying them the estrogen they
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| If the tissue removed does not have clear
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| | need to grow and multiply.
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| margins, then further operations to
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| | Herceptin
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| remove more tissue may be necessary. This
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| | Herceptin is the first humanized antibody
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| may sometimes require removal of part of
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| | approved for the treatment of
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| the pectoralis major muscle which is the
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| | HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.
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| main muscle of the anterior chest wall.
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| | Herceptin is designed to target and block
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| Chemotherapy
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| | the function of HER2 protein
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| Chemotherapy can be given both before and
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| | overexpression. Research has shown that
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| after surgery. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy
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| | HER2-positive breast cancer is a more
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| is used to shrink the size of a tumor
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| | aggressive disease with a greater
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| prior to surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy
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| | likelihood of recurrence, a poorer
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| is given after surgery to reduce the risk
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| | prognosis, and a decreased chance of
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| of recurrence. Cancer cells usually grow
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| | survival compared with HER2-negative
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| more rapidly than normal cells, and
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| | breast cancer.
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| chemotherapy drugs work against them by
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| | Comprehensive Breast Centers
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| interfering with their growth and
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| | Women with breast cancer increasingly are
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| reproduction.
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| | choosing to be treated at comprehensive
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| Radiation Therapy
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| | breast centers that offer up-to-date
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| Radiation therapy consists of the use of
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| | treatments and the specialists that can
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| high powered X-rays or gamma rays (XRT)
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| | provide them. Learn more information on
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| that precisely target the area that is
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| | breast cancer and the latest
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| being treated. These X-rays or gamma rays
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| | technologies.
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