How Can Breast Cancer Be Treated?

Did you know that each year about 216,000 women and 1,500 men are diagnosed with breast cancer? There are various risk factors of the disease like:

* Easy onset on menstruation

* History of cancer in the family

* Undergoing hormone (estrogen and progesterone) replacement therapies

* Heavy alcohol consumption

What are the types of treatments available?

There are a host of treatments for breast cancer. Even if it is possible to treat the disease with just one form of the treatment, in the advanced stages it might require to use more than one form including - surgeries, radiation therapies, antihormonal therapies, and chemotherapy.

Given below is a short discussion about each of the forms of treatment:

* Surgeries: The primary aim of this form of treatment is to dissect out the carcinogenic tissues from the affected area. There are different types of surgeries like:

- Lumpectomy or excisional biopsy - This involves removal of carcinogenic tissues as well as a portion of the surrounding breast tissue.

- Total or simple mastectomy - It is the removal of the entire affected breast.

- Radical or modified mastectomy - This is done on patients with advanced stages of breast cancer. In this surgery the oncologist removes the entire breast along with the underarm lymph nodes.

* Radiotherapy - In this treatment, intensive radiation is used for killing cancer cells invisible to the naked eye. This is generally used post-surgery to kill any carcinogenic tissue that may have been left behind after the surgery. Radiation is used to kill the carcinogenic cells and also to stop those from further multiplication.

* Chemotherapy - In this form of treatment, anti-carcinogenic drugs and chemicals are used to stop carcinogenic growths. There are different types of chemotherapy drugs that are used for the treatment of breast cancer. Oftentimes oncologists use these drugs in combinations called regimens. However, it is only possible for an experienced oncologist to determine the exact proportion and dosage for the treatment.

* Antihormonal therapy - Have you heard about estrogen-receptor-positive tumors? In some breast cancers, the hormone estrogen makes the cells grow. In this type of cancers antihormonal therapy proves effective in preventing the carcinogenic cells from growing.

Even though there are so many ways to treat breast cancer, you should consult an oncologist if you experience even the primary signs. For such critical disease you should visit a reputed clinic. Renowned centers comprise experienced specialists who will be able to provide the best possible care and treatment. If you are searching for a trusted cancer center, remember, when it comes to breast cancer, Elizabethtown is an area which comprises a few of the renowned cancer centers.