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Most women with breast cancer will have some form of surgery to remove the primary tumor. A lumpectomy is breast-conserving surgery, in which the lump and some surrounding tissue are removed. A partial (segmental) mastectomy, also a breast-conserving surgery, involves removing more tissue than the lumpectomy. Some of the lymph nodes under the arm are usually taken out during these procedures and examined to see if they contain cancer cells. Both surgeries are followed by a course of radiation therapy. Most women with small, early stage cancer are excellent candidates for these procedures. A modified radical mastectomy is the most common surgery for breast cancer. The entire breast is removed, along with the lymph nodes under the arm, muscle tissue from beneath the breast. Radical mastectomies, an extensive procedure removing the entire breast, lymph nodes and the chest wall muscles, are rarely performed today. Breast reconstruction surgery can be preformed following the mastectomy, to rebuild the breast. Radiation therapy uses high levels of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy is standard treatment following a lumpectomy or partial mastectomy. It is also sometimes used following a modified radical mastectomy. Radiation therapy may also be given in addition to chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. The radiation is delivered to the affected breast, and in some instances to the nearby lymph nodes. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment used when the tumor is large or if cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes. Anticancer drugs are injected into a vein or taken orally. These drugs enter the bloodstream and travel through the body, and where they can reach cancer cells throughout the body. These drugs not only kill cancer cells, but can also damage normal cells, which can cause side effects. A combination of chemotherapy medications is usually given. Treatment is given in cycles, over a three to six month period. Hormone therapy is used to change the way the body’s hormones help cancer grow. The female hormone estrogen can increase the growth of breast cancer cells in some women. Tamoxifen, which blocks the effects of estrogen, is often given to women with early stage breast cancer and breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. |
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