Aug
15
New Treatment Options For Breast Cancer
Filed Under Uncategorized
Althoughsurgery is the most effective (and hence, the most widely used) breast cancertreatment method, there are several other ways of dealing with the disease,some are more powerful than the others. These include radiation therapy,chemotherapy or hormonal therapy, each of them with their own assets anddownsides.
Mostof them however are used in combination with surgery for best effects, eitherprior to it, in order to reduce the size of the tumor or after the operation,in order to remove any remaining cancerous cells. For a better understanding ofthese alternative treatment methods for breast cancer, we’ll take a closer lookat each, explaining how they work and in what cases they might prove useful.
Radiation Therapy
Radiationtherapy uses powerful gamma rays (x-rays) which target the specific area thatneeds to be treated with high precision. Usually, radiation therapy isperformed after surgery, to destroy any cancer cells that have not been removedor the ones that formed up where the tumor was removed. Although it can’t beused as, a treatment on its own, radiation therapy is one of the most acceptedpost-surgery methods of breast conserving therapy (BCT) and has a high chanceof stopping the cancer from recurring.
Aswith all treatments involving x-rays, there are some downsides to radiationtherapy. First, in order to wipe out the cancerous cells that might have formed(or remained) in the area where the tumor was removed from, the x-rays willeventually damage some of the healthy tissue too. Although the process ishighly precise, the rays cannot make a difference between cancerous and normalcells, so they “burn” them together.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapyinvolves the administration of drugs that kill the cancer cells or stop themfrom growing. Most chemotherapy medications are given through an intravenousline, although some are administered in pill form. Chemotherapy is a harshregime, which often makes people feel more ill than the illness they aresuffering from; however, it has been proved very effective.
Chemotherapyis a great treatment method to use both prior and after surgery. With the helpof this method, you can virtually contract the cancerous tumor before theactual surgery, making it easier and less complex to remove. In addition,chemotherapy is used in the same sense as radiation therapy after the surgicalintervention, to stop the diseased cells to recur.
Chemotherapyis administered usually in cycles where each cycle consists of a period ofintensive treatment that lasts for a few days or weeks followed by a week ofrecovery. Most patients with breast cancer have two to four cycles ofchemotherapy to start with before tests are performed to see what effects ithas had on the cancer.
Chemotherapyis different to radiation as it can treat the whole body with the potential offinding other tumor cells that have migrated from the breast and surroundingarea. Many people are familiar with chemotherapy’s side effects although theside effects do depend upon drugs to treat the patient.
Themost common side effects are loss of hair, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomitingand low blood cell count making the patient more susceptible to infections,feeling sick or tired. Many notice that they bleed more than usual, especiallyfrom gums, sores and small scrapes etc.
There are three differentchemotherapy strategies are used in breast cancer:
Adjuvant chemotherapy – this is given topatients who have undergone curative treatment for breast cancer such asradiation or surgery. In order to decrease the possibility of the breast cancerrecurrence, this treatment is given.
Pre-surgical chemotherapy – this is given toshrink a large tumor and/or to kill any stray cancerous cells. This will alsoincrease the chance that the surgery will kill the cancer completely.
Regular chemotherapy – this is givenroutinely to people who have breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast orthe surrounding local area.
Hormonaltherapy may also be given, as many breast cancers such as those that have ampleestrogens or progesterone receptors are sensitive to changes in hormones.
Tamoxifen Breast Cancer Treatment
Thosewomen who are genetically at high risk of developing breast cancer may benefitfrom tamoxifen as it has previously been seen to decrease the incidence of thedisease occurring. Raloxifene, which is used to treat osteoporosis, is nowbeing studied for treating breast cancer.
Insome breast cancer cases, a woman’s natural hormones are suppressed with drugswhereas other patients find benefits by adding hormones. Tamoxifen for instanceis currently the most commonly prescribed effective hormone treatment. It canbe used for treating breast cancer and in the prevention of breast cancer.Tamoxifen has few side effects and can considerably improve the life span ofthose women who have advanced cases of breast cancer.
Fulvestrant Breast CancerTreatment
Afurther treatment, Fulvestrant has recently been approved in the
Monoclonal Breast Cancer Treatment
ana="" lang="EN-GB">Anothertreatment known as monoclonal is antibodies that are antagonistic against theproteins, which are in or around cancer cells. They recognise an invader suchas a cancer cell and attack it. This antibody therapy is currently beinginvestigated holds out a lot of hope for breast cancer sufferers.
Excessivealcohol intake and obesity following menopause can increase the risk ofdeveloping breast cancer although this increase is slight. Those physicallyactive women have a lower risk.
Preventative or ProphylacticMastectomies
Moreand more women who are at a high risk of developing breast cancer are havingpreventative or prophylactic mastectomies to avoid them developing breastcancer.
Themain risk factors for women to develop breast are age, sex and genetics. Women can do nothing about some risks sopreventing death caused due to breast cancer is recommended with regularscreening.
Womenshould undertake regular screening including self-examination, mammography andclinical breast examinations.
Ihope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational foryou. Thats how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject canchange over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.
Summary:
Thefollowing article covers breast cancer treatment options including chemotherapy,radiation therapy and a glance on other new treatment options available to curebreast cancer.If youve been thinking you need to know more about it, heres youropportunity.
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