cancer is treated there is a team of doctors that work together. These doctors specialize in the field of surgery, oncology, radiation, medicinal treatments for cancer, nutritionists, pharmacists and even counselors brain organoid.
The tumor in the breast can sometimes be big and grow very slowly or be small but grow very fast. The process of breast cancer treatment can also vary from case to case.
Various factors concerning the treatment are – stage of cancer, hormone receptor status or HER2, Oncotype DX, Mammaprint, an age of the patient and health condition, stage of menopause and breast cancer connected genes of the patient.
There is, however, some basic ways to treat breast cancer.
If the cancer is detected in early stages or in the case of DCIS, it is suggested by doctors to remove the tumor completely. This process is usually divided into two steps. Firstly they will remove a portion of the tissue which is healthy and around the tumor. If the entire portion is not removed in one operation, they might even operate twice to ensure no cancer affected cells are left. The second step is for the rest of the tumor where chemotherapy and radiation are used.
Sometimes, the entire breast is also removed. Depending on the doctor’s advice, the skin can be preserved along with the nipple. In such cases, a breast reconstruction is also suggested if the patient so desires. This can be done by a plastic or a breast surgeon by using tissues from another part of the body. It can be done immediately after removal of the breasts. Even the healthy breast is reconstructed in most cases as the patient may prefer that both the breasts are the same size.
In case the cancer is large or growing at a fast pace, doctors may recommend a chemotherapy treatment or a treatment of the hormones prior to the surgery. This process can be beneficial as the treatments can be helpful in shrinking the tumor and help in performing the surgery.
Post the surgery an adjuvant therapy by way of radiation, chemotherapy, targeted or hormonal therapy also is given to the patient to ensure the rest of the cancer cells are also removed. Even though adjuvant therapy is useful to remove any remaining cells in the body, but it is not a foolproof method to ensure that all cancer cells are removed.
Sometimes, when there is no possibility of removing the tumor surgically, the doctors recommend chemotherapy, radiation, targeted and hormonal therapy. These can help in shrinking cancer.
