What are the treatments for breast cancer?
Treatment of breast cancer depends on the type of cancer and how far it has spread. Treatment guidelines include the following:
- Very early stage, low-grade tumors. These cancers are very small and in one location. In this case, removing just the affected part of the breast with a lumpectomy may be all that is required. Radiation therapy to the affected area may also be recommended.
- Early stage, no involved nodes. If the cancer is not responsive to hormones, the woman may be offered chemotherapy. If it is responsive to hormones, medications like tamoxifen or letrozole can be used to suppress hormone activity. Both treatments are to ensure that any possible cancer left behind is killed or suppressed. Radiation therapy to the affected area may also be recommended.
- Early stage, positive nodes. Chemotherapy will be offered to kill any remaining undetectable cancer. Women whose cancer is responsive to hormones may also receive tamoxifen or similar antihormone medications. The kind of chemotherapy and intensity of the regimen will be determined by other factors in the tumor. Radiation therapy to the affected area may also be recommended.
- Advanced stage. When the cancer has spread to nearby structures or to other areas of the body, the goal will be to control the cancer. Chemotherapy may be offered. Anti-hormone medications can be given to women whose tumors are likely to respond. Other medicine to treat problems caused by the advancing cancer will be used to relieve symptoms. Radiation therapy to the affected area may also be recommended.
Biological response modifiers are a fairly new treatment used for certain types of breast tumors. These products target breast cancer cells that have too much of a protein known as HER2. Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody, is an example of one of these products. It slows or stops the growth of breast cancer cells that have too much HER2. It can be used alone or with chemotherapy.
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