Your Cancer Action: Treatment Options

We know that you want to learn as much as you can about cancer care in order to make the most informed decision possible. So, don’t hesitate to reach out for the information and support you need. It’s important to communicate openly with your healthcare team so that you can find – and follow – the most appropriate treatment options for you.

Questions to ask your doctor

If you’re not entirely comfortable talking about breast cancer with your healthcare provider, there’s a useful guide available. It’s a Doctor Discussion Guide that will help you know the important questions to ask, and it’s part of the support offered in Yes, I Can. Take a moment to enroll, and you’ll get your Discussion Guide, along with e-mail updates on chemotherapy, and much more.

Enroll now in Yes, I Can. Click here.

Types of Treatment

There are two main types of breast cancer treatments: Local and Systemic. Local treatments, such as surgery and radiation, treat specific tumors without affecting other parts of the body. Systemic treatments, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy and immunotherapy, move throughout the body to treat cancer cells that may have spread from the breast. Sometimes, combinations of these treatment types are used.

Additionally, treatment may be given before or after surgery. When given before surgery, this is called neoadjuvant therapy (usually systemic chemotherapy), to shrink a tumor. When given after surgery, this is called adjuvant therapy. Adjuvant therapy targets cancer cells that may have spread in the early stages of the disease.

Surgery

Surgery is used on most women with breast cancer to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Some surgeries, such as a lumpectomy or partial mastectomy, remove only part of the breast. Mastectomy removes all the breast tissue. Other surgeries are performed to examine the lymph nodes under the arm, or reconstruct the breast.

Radiation

Radiation kills cancer cells with high-energy rays, such as x-rays. There are 2 main types: external beam radiation, and brachytherapy. With external beam radiation, radiation is focused on the affected area of the body. Treatment is painless and continues for about 6 weeks. With brachytherapy, radioactive "seeds", or pellets, are placed in the breast tissue next to the tumor.

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy is often used after surgery to lessen the chance of cancer returning. It may also be used for more advanced breast cancers. There are different drugs used in hormone therapy. They all are used to counter the effects of the female hormone estrogen, which in some women promotes the growth of breast cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

If your healthcare provider has suggested chemotherapy, you should feel assured that this treatment decision is based on medical science and what is right for your individual situation.

Chemotherapy puts cancer-killing drugs into your bloodstream. Chemo can be given in many ways:

• Intravenous (IV). The chemotherapy goes directly into a vein.
• Injection. Chemotherapy is given by a shot in a muscle in your arm, thigh, or hip or right under the skin in the fatty part of your arm, leg, or belly.
• Intra-arterial (IA). Chemotherapy goes directly into the artery that is feeding the cancer.
• Intraperitoneal (IP). The chemotherapy goes directly into the peritoneal cavity (the area that contains organs such as your intestines, stomach, liver, and ovaries).
• Topically. The chemotherapy comes in a cream that you rub onto your skin.
• Orally. The chemotherapy comes in pills, capsules, or liquids that you swallow.

Because these drugs move throughout the body, they can treat cancers that have spread to other organs.

When is chemotherapy used?

Chemo is used in 3 main situations:

1. Adjuvant chemotherapy – For treatment after surgery, to reduce the risk of breast cancer returning, and to kill cells that may have spread.
2. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy – For treatment before surgery to shrink large tumors.
3. For advanced breast cancer – Chemo can be used as the main treatment.

Chemo is given in cycles, alternating between treatment and rest. Treatment can last several months, or longer.

Side effects: facts and reassurance

Because chemo drugs kill cancer cells, they also affect some normal cells. This can lead to side effects. The most common: nausea, hair loss, fatigue, increased tendency to bruise and bleed, anemia (low red blood cell count), and infection.

"Will I have side effects?" "What will they be like?" Most people ask these questions before starting chemo. Here are some reassuring things to keep in mind:

• Not everyone gets every single side effect.
• Different people experience different intensities of side effects. Ask your healthcare team which side effects are likely with your chemo, how long they may last, and what to do about them.
• Your doctor may prescribe medicines to help prevent some side effects from occuring.
• For many people, chemo side effects are a short-term issue, not a long-term problem. Remember: you have to weigh the potential side effects of chemo against its ability to treat cancer.

Find out more

To find out more about side effects, including detailed information on managing side effects and other cancer topics affecting your life, enroll in Yes, I Can. Click here.

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