Treatments and Side Effects

There are many different treatments and combination of treatments available. Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy are the most common treatments although some people choose less conventional alternative medicine.

Surgery is performed to remove as much of the cancer as possible, to see whether the cancer has spread, to relieve advanced symptoms or to reconstruct the appearance of the breast. Possible side effects may include changes in arm and shoulder mobility, swelling, numbness and infection. There has been a move away from very aggressive surgery in recent years. Until 20 years ago, there were very few options available and radical mastectomies were widely performed removing the entire breast and all the lymph nodes in the area. A biopsy was usually performed under general anesthesia and if cancer was found, the doctor went ahead with treatment such as a mastectomy while the patient was still asleep. Some women today with a high risk of breast cancer opt for surgical removal of both breasts before any signs of symptoms appear even though there is no way to tell if they will actually develop the disease and there is no guarantee that cancer will not develop anyway in the tissue left behind.

Radiation therapy shrinks or kills cancer cells with high energy rays such as x-rays and can be directed at the tumor, the breast, the chest wall, or other tissues known or suspected to have remaining cancer cells. Some side effects of radiation therapy are swelling or thickening of the breast, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue and skin irritations resembling sunburn.

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs taken by mouth or intravenously to kill cancer cells. It is administered in cycles, with each period of treatment followed by a recovery period. The total course can last from three to six months and is often more effective using several drugs. Side effects of chemotherapy include hair loss, immune suppression, mouth sores, nausea and fatigue.

In addition to killing cancer cells, very high doses of chemotherapy or radiation will kill blood-producing stem cells in the bone marrow as well. Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a very painful procedure that can cause serious side effects. Studies have shown that women who received the high dose therapy did not live longer than women who received standard dose chemotherapy and research is still going on to validate this controversial procedure.

Hormone therapy with hormonal drugs such as Tamoxifen and Raloxifene blocks the effect of estrogen to stimulate tumor growth in some women. Megace blocks the action of progesterone by partially mimicking the hormone and Herceptin is a manufactured antibody that binds to growth factor receptors on the surface of cancer cells to stop them from spreading.

Alternative and complementary treatments for cancer, such as acupuncture, herbs, vitamins and diet are becoming increasingly popular. However, although some can safely be used along with standard medical treatment, others can interfere and cause serious side effects. Alternative or non-traditional therapies are becoming more acceptable as scientific evidence supports their value but they should be used in conjunction with conventional therapy under guidance of a physician.

Next: Early Detection

 

Related informational links:

American Cancer Society

American Cancer Society Clinical Trials Matching Service

National Cancer Institute Breast Cancer

CancerNet - A service of the National Cancer Institute

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Net

New York Times - Breast Cancer News

CancerTrack - Tracking cancer online

Mamm Magazine online

Health Central

Breast Cancer Society of Canada