Treatment of breast cancer depends on the type of cancer and its stage. It is
usually
treated with:
- Surgery. The surgical therapies for
breast cancer can be divided into breast conserving surgery and mastectomy.
- Radiation. The therapy destroys cancer
cells with high energy rays.
- Adjuvant therapy that includes:
a) Chemotherapy. It
works with medications that travel
through the bloodstream to the cancer cells.
The drugs used in chemotherapy cause serious side effects.
b)
Hormone blocking therapy. It is used to prevent estrogen that causes the breast
cancer tumor to grow. Aromatase inhibitors are only suitable for post-menopausal
patients.
c)
Monoclonal antibodies. They block a protein known as HER2/neu. The amount of
this protein may appear increased to a much higher level in patients with breast
cancer.
d)
Other drugs can be used to control
unwanted side effects
as result of the applied therapy.
E.g. antioxidant preparations containing succinic acid are used to prevent
myocardium dysfunctions during the chemotherapy.
Combined treatments are given according to the diagnosis and risk of recurrence.
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