| It wasn't that long ago that a diagnosis of breast | | | | dividing cells in the body. Many of these are cancer |
| cancer was almost akin to a death sentence. | | | | cells, but others are not, which is why people are |
| Nowadays, however, there are many options for | | | | often ill during chemotherapy. Still, as technology and |
| treating breast cancer, and the chances of success | | | | medicine progress, chemotherapy is becoming more |
| are high. Factors such as the type of breast cancer | | | | refined and a little easier to cope with. It's also an |
| and how developed it is have the biggest influence | | | | excellent way to prevent the spread of cancer, |
| on the outcome of treatment. | | | | particularly to the lymph nodes, and so prevent fatal |
| So what treatments are available today? There are | | | | varieties developing. |
| three main types; let's take a look at them now. | | | | Tamoxifen is a drug that is used as a systemic |
| Local Regional Treatment | | | | treatment. Unfortunately it often results in serious |
| This type of treatment focuses on the area where | | | | and uncomfortable side effects, so it's not often |
| the breast cancer is found and the surrounding lymph | | | | used. However it certainly has been shown to reduce |
| nodes. One of the most common treatments is | | | | the risk of breast cancer returning, and in some |
| radiation therapy or radiotherapy. Generally women | | | | cases can reduce the risk of developing breast |
| find there are few side effects to this sort of | | | | cancer in the first place. Side effects can include |
| treatment, and if the cancer is still in the early stages, | | | | uterine cancer, blood clots, early menopause, nausea, |
| radiotherapy has a good chance of providing a | | | | vomiting, depression and loss of energy, amongst |
| complete cure. | | | | others. |
| Surgery is another option, but is usually only used | | | | Alternative Treatments |
| when other methods have failed. Sometimes surgery | | | | Not everybody believes that modern medicine is the |
| involves removal of the lump, but in other situations it | | | | only possible cure for breast cancer, hence the call |
| may be necessary to remove the whole breast and | | | | for treatments that treat the mind, body and spirit in |
| reconstruct the area afterwards. This is known as a | | | | a holistic way. Little medical evidence exists to show |
| mastectomy. Although this can be a difficult surgery | | | | that these treatments are effective, but certainly |
| for women to undergo emotionally, most women | | | | there have been instances of alternative treatments |
| quickly adapt to their new body shape. Modern | | | | leading to a complete cure. Some possible treatments |
| surgery is improving all the time, with the focus being | | | | include meditation, acupuncture, relaxation techniques |
| on retaining as much of the healthy breast as | | | | and herbal preparations including flaxseed and black |
| possible. | | | | cohosh. |
| Systemic Treatments | | | | If you develop breast cancer, then you should spend |
| A systemic treatment involves treating the whole | | | | some time learning about the disease, make sure you |
| body. Chemotherapy is the main systemic treatment | | | | understand how advanced your condition is and |
| available, and is used to kill any cancer cells that may | | | | discuss all available treatment options with your |
| have spread into the rest of the body from the | | | | medical professional. Remember, many more women |
| breast. Unfortunately chemotherapy is a difficult | | | | survive breast cancer today, and go on to a live a |
| treatment to undergo, often making the patient feel | | | | normal, healthy life after treatment. So you can do it |
| ill and weak. It works by killing off all the rapidly | | | | too! |