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Breast cancer is one of the most common but serious diseases in women, however, if detected at the right time, it is completely curable. When doctors confirm breast cancer in a patient, the first thing they do is carefully study the stage of the disease, the type of cancer cells and the overall health of the patient. Breast cancer is not treated by any one method, but by a combination of many cutting-edge techniques and medical methods (Combined Therapy). Mainly it includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy. On the basis of the patient’s reports like biopsy, mammography and PET scan, the team of oncologist (cancer specialist) decides whether surgery will be done first or chemotherapy will be given to reduce the size of the tumor, so that the treatment can be as effective as possible.
The biggest question in the minds of breast cancer patients is regarding the duration of chemotherapy. In chemotherapy, cancer cells are destroyed through medicines. Generally, chemotherapy treatment in breast cancer can last from 3 months to 6 months, depending on the stage of the patient’s disease. Chemotherapy is not given continuously at once, but is divided into cycles. Usually, after a cycle, the patient’s body is given 2 to 3 weeks to recover. For example, if the patient requires 4 or 8 cycles, a gap of 14 to 21 days is maintained between each cycle. Adjuvant chemotherapy (given after surgery) kills any remaining cancer cells in the body, while neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is given before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor.
Along with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy play a big role in the treatment of breast cancer. There are two types of surgery—first, ‘lumpectomy’, in which only the cancerous tumor and a small part of it is removed so that the breast can be saved; And second is ‘Mastectomy’, in which the entire breast is removed. After surgery, the patient is given radiation therapy to ensure that the cancer does not return. In radiation, the remaining cancer cells are destroyed with the help of high-energy X-ray rays. Radiation sessions usually take place 5 days a week and the process lasts for 3 to 6 weeks, which is completely painless.
With the development of modern medical science, breast cancer treatment has become more accurate and safe than ever before. Women who are found to have hormone receptor positive cancer are given hormonal therapy pills for several years (5 to 10 years) so that the chances of the cancer recurring can be reduced to zero. Apart from this, targeted medicines are given for HER2 positive cancer which only attack cancer cells and do not harm healthy cells. Although side effects like hair fall, fatigue, vomiting and weakness are seen during chemotherapy, but after a few weeks of treatment, the hair comes back and the patient starts living a normal life. Right eating habits, positive thinking, regular follow-up and early detection are the biggest keys to completely defeat breast cancer.