Treatment options

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Surgical removal
Lumpectomy
Partial mastectomy
Total mastectomy
Modified radical mastectomy
Breast reconstruction
Systemic therapies
Chemotherapy
Hormone therapy
Immunotherapy
Radiation therapy
Alternative therapies
Answers to your questions

Treatment options include surgical removal, systemic therapies and other therapies. Before you begin any treatment, your doctor will review your pathology report and discuss the available breast cancer treatment options. The type of breast cancer treatment or treatments that are recommended will be based on the following factors:

• How small or large is the tumor
• Where the tumor is found in the breast
• If the tumor is invasive or in situ
• If cancer is present in the lymph nodes
• If cancer is found in other parts of the body

Be sure to ask your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about the breast cancer treatment option that is being recommended. It is a decision you and your doctor will make together, and it is important to know exactly what to expect with a procedure before you begin any form of treatment.

Surgical removal

The goal of tumor removal today is for precise, targeted surgery that aims to preserve as much of the healthy breast and surrounding areas as possible. Your doctor is able to accomplish this objective by using imaging technologies, such as MRI, x-ray and ultrasound, to better map out the target area. Once identified, there are a variety of ways to remove the cancerous area:

Lumpectomy

In a lumpectomy, the surgeon removes the breast cancer and some normal tissue around it. Often, some of the lymph nodes under the arm are removed as well. The lumpectomy breast cancer treatment procedure is usually followed by radiation therapy to destroy any cancer cells that may remain in the area.

Partial mastectomy

In a partial mastectomy, the surgeon removes the breast cancer and a larger area of normal breast tissue around it. In many cases, the lymph nodes under the arm also are removed. Occasionally, some of the lining over the chest muscles below the tumor is removed as well. This breast cancer treatment procedure is usually followed by radiation therapy to destroy any cancer cells that may remain in the area. A partial mastectomy is also referred to as segmental mastectomy or quadrantectomy.

Total mastectomy

This type of breast surgery actually removes the breast. Some of the lymph nodes under the arm may also be removed. A total mastectomy is sometimes referred to as a simple mastectomy.

Modified radical mastectomy

In a modified radical mastectomy, the surgeon removes the breast, most of the lymph nodes under the arm and often the lining over the chest muscles.

Breast reconstruction

After a mastectomy, some women decide to have breast reconstruction. This is done either at the same time as the mastectomy or in a later surgery. It is best to consult with a plastic surgeon before the mastectomy, even if breast reconstruction will be considered at a later date.

Either implants or tissue flaps can be used to rebuild the breast. Tissue flaps involve using muscle, fat and skin from another part of the body to reconstruct the breast. The tissue is shaped and inserted in the chest to form a breast.

Systemic therapies

Systemic therapy is referred to as whole-body treatment. The goal of systemic therapy is to treat cancers that may have spread to other parts of the body. Systemic therapies may be used alone before surgery or after surgical removal.

Chemotherapy

If cancer cells are present in the axillary lymph nodes, chemotherapy may be recommended. Chemotherapy drugs are usually given in combination, either orally as a pill or intravenously. They travel throughout the body to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells.

Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy is only effective in women with certain types of breast cancer. There are a variety of different hormonal therapies that your doctor could recommend, depending on whether you still have your period (pre-menopausal) or no longer have your period (post-menopausal).

Immunotherapy

This form of treatment is very new and employs the body’s own system for fighting the cancer. Currently, only one immune therapy, Herceptin^®, is widely available. It is injected directly into the bloodstream and is only recommended for women who have a particular cancer gene.

Other therapies

Radiation therapy

In most cases, breast-conserving surgery is followed by radiation therapy. Targeted, high-energy radiation is used to kill cancer cells that may be present in the remaining breast tissue after the surgery.

Alternative therapies

Many healthcare professionals are working to integrate alternative therapies with traditional medicine, as there have been claims that natural substances may help to fight the spread of breast cancer and alleviate some side effects and pain of cancer treatments. However, further research is required to study the benefits of these alternative treatments.