When determining your breast cancer
treatment plan, many factors need to be considered. These include the
stage of your disease, whether it's a new diagnosis or a recurrence of
disease, tumor marker status, menopausal status, your age, prior
treatment(s), and your overall health and lifestyle.
There are several different options for treating breast cancer. The
following table lists the most common initial treatment options for
patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent breast cancer:
| Initial Disease Stage at Diagnosis |
Most Common Initial Treatment Options |
|
Stage 0
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) |
Surgery � radiation � hormonal treatment |
|
|
| Stage I, II, and some IIIA |
Surgery + lymph node dissection if lymph node-positive ±
radiation ± chemotherapy ± hormonal treatment |
|
|
| Stage IIIB/C |
Chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery + surgery +
radiation ± postsurgical chemotherapy ± hormonal treatment
or chemotherapy ± radiation ± hormonal treatment |
|
|
| Stage IV |
Hormonal treatment, chemotherapy, targeted agents, clinical
trials of new agents, or palliative care to reduce breast cancer
symptoms |
|
|
Recurrence
(local, regional, or distant) |
Hormonal treatment � chemotherapy � novel targeted therapy |
|
While there are several different ways to treat breast cancer, all
options can be divided into two categories � local treatment and
systemic treatment.
- Local treatment is directed only at the cancer cells in
the breast area. Surgery and radiation are the two local treatments
for treating breast cancer. Local treatments treat only a specific
area of the body and are often used in combination with systemic
treatment. Systemic treatment may be used to help reduce the risk
for recurrence after local treatment is completed.
- Systemic treatment is the use of medications that travel
in the bloodstream to affect or treat cancer cells. Systemic
treatments include chemotherapy, hormonal treatment, and novel
targeted therapies. They are often used in combination with local
treatment in early breast cancer. Systemic treatments may also be
used alone in more advanced stages when cancer has spread to other
parts of the body.
We prided ourselves on our ability to provide newly diagnosed breast
cancer patients with immediate and comprehensive explanations about
their breast cancer. Most women were not ready to absorb these intricate
details in the first days after being diagnosed. We still see the
patient and her family immediately following diagnosis, and attempt to
answer all questions. Now, however, a major focus of the initial
discussion is to ensure that the patient is emotionally prepared to go
forward with the process.
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed, you need answers
� and reassurance, please call or
email us at (972) 284-0080 to
prepare your treatment schedule carefully with our breast care team
during your breast cancer treatment.
You can also schedule your consultation only by simply filling out the
form located to the left. |
