| Once the first sign of breast cancer is detected and | | | | chest wall may also be treated. Although radiation |
| confirmed, it's important for women to research and | | | | does produce side-effects and symptoms, these are |
| discuss with their partners and health-care providers | | | | usually localized, and this form of treatment is usually |
| what their options are as far as treatment is | | | | well tolerated. |
| concerned as soon as possible. It can be more than a | | | | Chemotherapy, also very common and widely used, |
| little overwhelming, however, as it seems the | | | | involves the use of medications to destroy cancer |
| possibilities are endless for women nowadays when it | | | | cells by interfering with its growth. However, it can |
| comes to breast cancer treatment--of both the | | | | also kill healthy cells and cause undesirable |
| disease, the symptoms associated with breast cancer | | | | side-effects in women, such as fatigue, nausea, |
| and the side-effects of medication. | | | | vomiting, increased risk of infection and hair loss. |
| Personal research into the options available is | | | | Herceptin is a treatment given intravenously into the |
| recommended, as well as thorough discussion with a | | | | bloodstream once every one to three weeks, |
| doctor or health practitioner. A woman's age, | | | | targeting only HER2 (a protein)-positive breast cancer |
| whether she is a first-time breast cancer patient or it | | | | in women with metastatic (advanced) disease, |
| is recurring, the specific type, stage, grade and | | | | medium to large tumors and cancers with lymph |
| locality of the breast cancer, and the individual risk | | | | nodes involved. |
| factors--as well as other health issues she may | | | | Hormone therapy is also sometimes used--by pill or |
| have--all must be taken into consideration. | | | | injection--if the breast cancer tumor is sensitive to |
| Probably the most commonly used as well as the | | | | the hormones estrogen and/or progestin. Hormone |
| most well-known treatment options are surgery, | | | | therapy will reduce the availability of these hormones, |
| radiation therapy and chemotherapy. These are still | | | | "starving" the cancer and hindering its growth. |
| considered to be very effective, but many other | | | | Tamoxifen is one such drug under this category, |
| treatment options are gaining in popularity, such as | | | | prescribed for women with |
| herceptin, tamoxifen and other types of hormonal | | | | hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Tamoxifen |
| therapy, as well as alternative and complementary | | | | is the hormonal drug of choice for pre-menopausal |
| therapies. Most women choose a combination of | | | | women but has been shown to be slightly less |
| therapies. | | | | effective in post-menopausal women than other |
| Surgery is almost always recommended as one of | | | | hormonal therapies, like aromatase inhibitors. |
| several treatment options for first-time breast cancer | | | | Alternative therapies to treating breast cancer are |
| patients. The two different types are lumpectomy, | | | | becoming more popular, either used instead of or in |
| or "breast-conserving surgery," which involves | | | | addition to conventional methods. However, there |
| surgically removing the tumor and some surrounding | | | | has not been enough clinical research to support their |
| healthy tissue in the breast, and a mastectomy, | | | | effectiveness and safety. Such alternatives include |
| which is the surgical removal of the whole breast. | | | | acupuncture, meditation and therapeutic touch, |
| There are many factors that come into play when | | | | flaxseed and black cohosh, and special restrictive |
| deciding between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy, | | | | diets. |
| such as the chance of recurrence, and considering | | | | It is vital for women considering alternative therapies |
| radiation therapy and breast reconstructive surgery. | | | | to research these options as much as possible and to |
| Radiation therapy is often used in conjunction with | | | | consult their health-care team, as they should be |
| surgery. After a lumpectomy the whole breast is | | | | doing with any combination of the above-mentioned |
| "radiated" with high energy x-rays, used to kill cancer | | | | treatments for breast cancer. |
| cells, and after a mastectomy the lymph nodes and | | | | |