There are two primary types of breast cancer treatment which include systemic or local. Each type does include different methods for removal of the cancer. The primary goal of any breast cancer treatment is to completely destroy the cancerous tissues, remove them from the body, and ensure they never return.
Surgery is considered a local treatment for breast cancer. The two different surgeries for breast cancer which include a lumpectomy or a mastectomy and a partial mastectomy. A mastectomy is when a doctor will be required to remove the entire breast and if a woman chooses she can see a doctor about reconstructing it back to her body. A partial mastectomy is when the cancer or the tumor is not grown enough to remove the entire breast. This means that only a part of the breast may need to be surgically removed. Radiation therapy is considered a local therapy when it is used inside of the body. Radioactive materials will be placed inside of the body to kill the cancer and stop the cancer cells from multiplying anymore.
There are also other treatments for breast cancer which are known as systemic breast cancer. These include things like chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and even biological therapy. You should always talk to your doctor and find out which therapy will be the most effective for you and the cancer in your body. Don’t base your decision on what worked for someone you know. No two bodies are the same and if you want to be around for the holidays to decorate Christmas trees then go with the doctor on their recommendation.
Chemotherapy is a drug that you take orally or through an injection to kill cancerous cells. There are many harmful side effects and they are also very unpleasant. Chemotherapy is often used after the cancer has surgically been removed to stop the cancer cells from coming back and to kill any cells that may have been missed in the surgery. If you are going through chemotherapy during the holidays you may not have the strength to decorate any artificial Christmas trees. You may want to ride in the car to enjoy the prelit Christmas trees on the streets but that may be all of the strength that you have.
Hormone therapy is another treatment used for treating breast cancer. This is specific to cancers like breast cancer because women produce estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that actually promotes cancer to grow in a body because it promotes growth. Hormone therapy stops estrogen from developing and may even put a woman into early menopause.
Biological therapy actually works on a woman’s immune system to help it destroy the cancer cells and stop new cells from forming. The most common biological form of therapy for breast cancer is known as Herceptin. This drug targets the specific breast cancer cells that have a high level of a protein known as HER2.
There are many different treatments for breast cancer that a doctor may recommend. Always work with your doctor to determine what he thinks is the best solution for your cancer.
Article source: http://www.greenvitaminshops.com/blog/breast-cancer-treatments/