Breast Cancer Treatment

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• QHow can radiation treat breast cancer?

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  A HCA Virginia answered

  Many years ago, radiation for breast cancer was only used for large tumors that were considered inoperable. Now it is a part of the local therapy in lumpectomy cases. Radiation can be administered to the entire breast or just to the area where the tumor existed (where the risk of recurrence is highest). Each method has advantages and disadvantages, but both seem equally effective.

  Overall, though, the biggest change in radiation is the increased precision with which it is delivered, thereby minimizing damage to adjacent normal tissues.

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• QIs there a cure for breast cancer?

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  A St. Petersburg General Hospital answered

  There are many very good and improved breast cancer treatments compared to even 20 years ago. The best cure for breast cancer is when the cancer has been found at an early stage, before it has a chance to spread. Most often, breast cancers today are diagnosed at an early stage due to screening with yearly mammograms, and in most cases women will have a low risk of getting breast cancer again. Breast cancer advances that have helped give a better survival are:

  • Earlier diagnosis with mammograms and increased awareness of breast cancer.
  • Better surgical treatment with fewer side effects—for example, rather than removing many of the lymph nodes under the arm, we now remove the “sentinel” lymph nodes, meaning the first lymph nodes that the breast drains to, usually 1 to 3 nodes. This gives a very low risk of arm swelling down the road.
  • Better and more targeted chemotherapy. The tumor itself can be looked at with gene tests to determine if chemotherapy will be needed.
  • Hormonal therapy with a pill that is taken for 5 to 10 years, which decreases recurrence of breast cancer in half.
  • Improved radiation therapy with fewer side effects.

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• QIs external beam radiation treatment for breast cancer dangerous?

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  A St Francis Medical Center answered

  External beam radiation is not dangerous. It is delivered through a catheter, similar to a straw, that is placed inside of a cavity where the tumor was removed.

  Radiation is contained in small seeds that are delivered through the straw, and then removed so the patient is not radioactive.

  Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.

• QWhat are the benefits of going to a breast cancer center for treatment?

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  A Cathy Cole, NP , Nursing, answered on behalf of Los Robles Regional Medical Center

  

  A breast cancer center brings the benefits of an entire team, says Cathy Cole, a nurse navigator with Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center. In this video, she describes the variety of care available in this setting. 

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  What Are the Benefits of Going to a Breast Cancer Center for Treatment?
  Buy DVD
• QWhat type of radiation therapy is used to treat breast cancer?

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  A St Francis Medical Center answered

  The most commonly known radiaton therapy is traditional external beam radiation, which delivers a specific dose to the breast to treat the cancer.

  Breast cancer can also be treated with implanted radiation, also known high dose rate brachytherapy. This is when a device is put into the breast to deliver a high dose of radiation twice a day.

  Some patients that have had a mastectomy (breast removal) often don't need further treatment. But if the tumor is found to be large in size during the mastectomy, or if the patient had a lot of lymph nodes, they will have postoperative radiation that treats the chest wall and the draining nodule regions.

  Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.

• QHow does a radiologist assist in my breast cancer treatment?

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  A HealthyWomen answered

  A radiologist is a doctor trained to read or interpret imaging studies -- such as mammography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -- to diagnose and treat diseases. The radiologist may also use imaging techniques to guide the positioning of the needle during a breast biopsy. They use the same techniques to pinpoint the exact location of the lump during surgery.
• QHow effective is prophylactic mastectomy if I have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene?

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  A Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family Medicine answered

  Prophylactic mastectomy can be very effective for women who have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. This, of course, should be a very personalized decision, as there are ways of screening for breast cancer, but studies have shown that bilateral mastectomy can be extremely effective. In some studies, women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene who have undergone prophylactic mastectomy reduced their chances of breast cancer by 90 percent.
• QWhat is anti-hormonal therapy for breast cancer?

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  A Riverside Cancer Care Center answered

  Like other medical treatments, hormone therapy is a systemic treatment. It is most often used to help prevent a recurrence of breast cancer, but it can also be used to treat more aggressive cancers. Anti-hormonal therapy works by blocking naturally occurring hormones that can enhance some tumor cells. Depending on the diagnosis, you and your physician may discuss anti-hormonal treatment as a possible therapy.
• QHow is inflammatory breast cancer treated?

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  A Dr. David J. Winchester, MD , Surgery, answered on behalf of NorthShore University HealthSystem

  Inflammatory breast cancer requires aggressive, multi-modality therapy, but there is hope to be offered to these patients. They’re not surgical candidates when we first see them. We do needle biopsies and sometimes punch biopsies of the skin, which is a pretty simple procedure. Then, they are referred to a medical oncologist and have a complete workup, including PET scans, to determine if there’s disease anywhere else, but oftentimes it’s all local. Then aggressive systemic therapy is instituted, and we see what kind of response there is. It may be possible at that point to do a mastectomy and then radiation therapy, as the third arm of this triad of treatment for inflammatory breast cancer.
• QHow should I care for my incision after a mastectomy for breast cancer?

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  A Aurora Health Care answered

  Following are guidelines for taking care of your incision after a mastectomy:

  • wash your hands before and after caring for your incision.
  • Keep your dressing clean and dry.
  • Wear the Surgi-Bra or camisole with pocket at all times.
  • Sponge bathe until the drain(s) is removed.