Breast Cancer Treatment

Womens Health Problems - To select the breast cancer treatment are most appropriate, it's better when discussed in advance with your doctor. Breast cancer patients can ask the questions that want to be known by the patient in receiving treatment. In addition to these questions, patients also need to express anything that is felt, because it will affect the decision of physicians, especially concerning health problems experienced during this routine, disorder, certain habits, and others.

Basically, the breast cancer treatment depends on :

• The size and location of the tumor
• The spread of the cancer itself.
• Patient's overall health condition.

 The doctor will work with patients to determine breast cancer treatment plan. Although each patient's treatment will be adjusted by the doctor. But here are the general steps undertaken in the treatment of breast cancer :

1.  The main goal of treatment early stage breast cancer is to remove the tumor and tissue surrounding the tumor. So doctors will recommend surgery to remove the tumor. Generally, radiation therapy will then be performed on the remaining breast tissue. For certain circumstances (eg, patients with serious medical problems) radiation can be postponed.
2. The following steps in dealing with early stage cancer is to reduce the risk cancer will recur and discard the remaining cancer cells. When the tumor is large lymph nodes or channels have been stricken with cancer as well, the doctor will recommend additional therapy (adjuvant therapy), among others: Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and / or hormone therapy. As for the recurrence of cancer, treated with a variety of ways. When planning treatment, doctors will consider several factors :

• Stage and grade of cancer.
• Tumor hormone receptor status (ER, PR) and HER2/neu status.
• Patient's age and general health.
• Patients have gone through menopause or not.
• The presence of breast cancer gene mutations. Conditions biology of breast cancer have an effect on the behavior of the cancer and its treatment. Some tumors are small in size but growing in size fast or big but slow growth.

 How to treat Breast Cancer :

1. Operation

Surgery or known as surgery, cancer treatment is a procedure of the oldest, and most likely to recover, especially for certain types of cancer that has not spread to other body parts. Advances in surgery have enabled the surgery with minimal injuries and effects (some even with no injuries at all), so that afterwards you can return to normal activities.

In general, the smaller the tumor size, the recommended treatment is surgery. There are several types of operations that can be done as a therapy for patients with breast cancer. The types of operations that can dlakukan, among others are :

• Breast conservation surgery (Lumpectomy).
• Mastectomy.
• Other operations (Breast reconstruction, etc.).

2. Radiation

Radiation therapy involves the use of large-sized machine called a linear accelerator to deliver a large amount of energy radiation to kill cancer cells, both in the breast, chest wall, or underarm. Radiation is stopping reproduction (development) of cancer cells with minimal damage to healthy tissue. Radiation therapy has been done to improve the survival of women with breast cancer.

3. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is used as an anti-cancer drugs that kill cancer cells. Physicians who decide where and how big drug doses used disebuat as oncologist. Chemotherapy can be used in three main objectives, namely :

• Adjuvant therapy: the aim is to prevent or delay recurrence of cancer after initial surgery and radiation. even if the cancer is seen only limited to the breast and lymph nodes under the armpit, there remains the possibility that cancer cells have spread to other areas that can not be seen. Chemotherapy given to kill these cells.
• Neo-adjuvant therapy: sometimes cancer of the breast is too large to be diminished, so the chemotherapy easier to perform the operation.
•  Therapy for metastases: if the cancer is also appearing in the body besides the breast and lymph nodes under the armpit, then it is referred to as metastatic disease. Chemotherapy may be the main way to kill cancer cells that have spread to other body parts, and help patients live longer with good quality of life.

Chemotherapy done in 2 ways :

* Chemotherapy drug that is swallowed

One of the chemotherapy drug that is used by being swallowed is capecitabine (Xeloda). Xeloda is an oral chemotherapy drug that is converted into fluorouracil at the cellular level and is sometimes used in advanced cancer. Other drugs that can be administered orally (swallowed) is cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan).

Chemotherapy drug that is swallowed can be used by patients who are not hospitalized at the hospital, but for ambulatory patients. Patients undergoing therapy for approximately 1 hour in the hospital and then allowed to go home. Before receiving treatment with chemotherapy, the patient and family should ask the treating physician about the side effects of therapy will be accepted. 

* Chemotherapy drugs used by injection

The following are chemotherapy drugs used by injection in patients with, among others:

• Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) drug that is injected in the vein (vein) of patients. The drug is colored red, and change the color of urine (urine) to red within a few hours while undergoing therapy. Patients who received chemotherapy with these drugs often complain of pain in the mouth and hair loss. These drugs are often given together with cyclophosphamide. The combination of both drugs are referred to as AC. Four to six cycles of treatment over three to six months is usually served as an intravenous medication pengobis. Doxorubicin is red in color, and it turns tan for breast cancer.
• Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) is an anti-cancer drug that can be given either by injection or ingested in tablet form. These drugs can cause irritation of the lining of the bladder and nausea vomiting. These drugs are often given with doxorubicin.
• Anti-cancer drug methotrexate is commonly given intravenously (injected) in patients with breast cancer. The drug is colored yellow. Some people who use these drugs often experience mouth pain during treatment. These drugs are often used in conjunction with cyclophosphamide and fluouracil.
• Fluorouracil (5FU) is an anti-cancer drugs are administered intravenously. In some patients, these drugs can cause mouth pain and diarrhea. These drugs are often given together with cyclophosphamide and methotrexate. This drug combination called CMF. Four to six cycles of treatment over three to six months are generally provided for treatment for breast cancer.
• Elance is a new drug similar to doxorubicin and is given intravenously (injected).

To find out what the most appropriate medication to patients, better first consult with the treating physician or provide therapy.  

Both types of therapy can be given every week or every two to four weeks. Therapy is tailored to the patient condition and it can greatly vary in each patient. For example, if the person is admitted to hospital then the patient is given chemotherapy by injection (intravenous), while others may receive chemotherapy for an hour in one day in a doctor. Some patients receive chemotherapy in the form of pills.

To start the chemotherapy, the drugs used, and the side effects that may arise, varying from each patient. patients should discuss this with your doctor.

     

4. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a new treatment technique for cancer, rally and more efficiently utilize the immune system to fight cancer. As almost always use natural materials from living creatures, especially humans, it is often also called immunotherapy or biological therapy bioterapi. Immunotherapy of cancer seeks to make the immune system is able to beat the malignancy of cancer cells, by increasing / directing the immune response against cancer cells, or restore the body's ability to conquer cancer (body response modifiers BRM).

The types of immunotherapy are being developed, among others :

• Interferon
• Monoclonal antibodies
• Vaccine
• Colony Stimulating Factors (CSFs)    

Immunotherapy is a new treatment in the world of cancer, so before deciding to do this therapy, discuss with your doctor treating the patient.

5. Ambulatory  

Advances in early detection and treatment lead to people suffering from incurable cancer. But the doctor was never able to determine whether the cancer will not return. Undetected cancer cells that may still be living in one's body after therapy. Although the cancer seems to have been overcome entirely, the cancer can come back again. Doctors call it a relapse. To find out whether the cancer was back, the doctor will perform a physical examination and laboratory tests, x-rays, and other tests. If someone have a relapse, the doctor will decide the purpose of the latest therapies and the treatment plan.

During the follow-up examination, the doctor may also examine other issues, such as side effects of therapy that has been lived, which usually arise from long-term therapy is carried out. Inspections are undertaken in a way this can be done outpatient treatment and no need for hospitalization. Patients are advised to follow up with regular, so that the person's condition can be supervised by a physician. 

6. Rehabilitation 

Rehabilitation program in patients with breast cancer to allow the patient to participate in the care most appropriate to the level of patient recovery. These programs include post-operative physical therapy and occupational therapy, general exercise and fitness, and management of lymphedema (swelling of hands). Options in the treatment of this rehabilitation, including :

• Comprehensive management of lymphedema (swelling of the arm).
• Recovery of motion, strength and function.
• Pain management.
• Home exercise program.
• Handling after breast reconstruction or imitation breast (breast prosthesis).

In carrying out rehabilitation program, it required collaboration between patients, families, and the doctor or physiotherapist are involved.

7. Alternative

At present, alternative medicine is often the first choice of cancer patients, especially those who have locally advanced or fear of surgery. Manifold very much, from drinking potions, massage, acupuncture, prayer, power in, until that is supernatural. As time goes by, more and more many alternative medical techniques are recognized, even used by doctors as a complementary therapy to get a better cure rate. There are dozens, even hundreds of alternative treatment techniques. Each country, each region, even each community has its own technique. In general, alternative treatments can be divided into several broad categories :

• Herbs
• Supplements and Vitamins       
• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Other

Although somewhat skeptical physicians of various types of alternative medicine, it does not hurt you to try. Doctors adhered to the treatment technique (west) which has been clinically tested, while various alternative treatments are generally derived from traditional medicine (east) used and proven effective for generations, but many have not been tested clinically. The decision remains in the hands of the patient. Not a few traditional medicines after clinically tested later adopted into modern medical drugs, such as chemotherapy drugs vincristine and vinblastine, which was taken from the leaf extract tread virgin.

It would be maximized if the chosen alternative treatment carried out in conjunction with medical treatment, so they can support each other. What matters must perpegang on 4 Right and a wary: the right indication, the right drug, right dose, right patient, and alert to side effects. Always consult with a physician who treated the patient.

Never be ashamed to tell the truth about the state of being experienced or perceived against a doctor who will care, because these things are very influential on decisions about breast cancer treatment that will be undertaken by people with breast cancer.(Womens Health Problems)