Treatment for Breast Cancer
The stage of breast cancer is a determinant for the type of treatment to be recommended. Firstly for proper treatment, the medical personnel must know the size, grade and stage of the cancer. There are different forms of treatments, which are:
- Chemotherapy: this is also called an adjuvant therapy. This is a form of drug treatment used to destroy cancerous cells in the body. This therapy has side effects and therefore it is better to discuss with the doctor before undergoing this treatment.
- Medications: there are medications which help to stop the production of cancer cells. Herceptin is a perfect example, it helps to block HER2 protein and thereby slowing down the rate of growth of the harmful
- Radiation therapy: this is the usage of high powered beams to target and kill the harmful cells. It is an external form of therapy. Researchers have also found a type of internal radiation known as brachytherapy [3].
- Surgery: this is the most common form of treatment and there are different types of surgery, such as:
- Mastectomy: this is the removal of the whole affected breast.
- Sentinel node biopsy: this is the removal of some lymph nodes that seem affected.
- Lumpectomy [4]: this is the removal of the mass of tissue and some affected neighboring tissues without removing the breast
- Axillary lymph node dissection.