Breast cancer is an uncontrollable and abnormal growth of mutated cells that develop in the breast and hinder the growth of healthy cells. The symptoms include changes in the skin on the breasts and lumps in the breasts or armpits. This cancer is mostly genetic but can also be acquired due to lifestyle choices.

Treatments for breast cancer

There are quite a few treatment options for breast cancer, and they depend on factors like the following:

• The subtype of the tumor
• The stage of the cancer
• The age and lifestyle of the patient
• The presence of known mutations

Types of breast cancer treatments

Surgery : Surgery is the process of removing the cancerous tumor by cutting it out surgically. The types of surgery for breast cancer are lumpectomy and mastectomy:

• Lumpectomy : This type of treatment is generally recommended when the tumor is quite small. It involves the removal of the tumor and a small margin of the healthy tissue surrounding it. At the end of the surgery, the affected breast looks as similar as possible to how it looked before.
• Mastectomy: This surgical procedure involves the removal of the whole breast. This can ensure the removal of the entire tumor and the potential infection of the surrounding cells.

Women who undergo mastectomy or lumpectomy generally undergo reconstruction of their breasts, and the surgery for this employs the use of synthetic implants. For women who don’t want to use implants, there is the option of prostheses, which is a pair of artificial external breasts.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is the process of using X-rays or other intense rays to destroy the malignant cells. There are three types:

• External beam radiation therapy : Radiation is given from outside the body through a machine, and it is the most common type of radiation therapy.
• Intraoperative radiation therapy : This type employs the usage of probes.
• Brachytherapy : Radioactive implants are inserted into the tumor.

Therapy using medication

Medications are administered into the bloodstream to attack cancer cells present throughout the body. They are administered through an intravenous tube into a vein, with an injection, or through a pill. Types of systemic therapies for the treatment of breast cancer are as mentioned:

• Chemotherapy
  It is the use of medications to kill cancer cells by hindering their ability to grow. This therapy can be used to shrink a large tumor, after which surgery is used to remove it completely. It includes a combination of medications administered over time. The side effects generally include fatigue, nausea, hair loss, loss of appetite, early menopause, and such.
• Hormonal therapy
  Hormonal therapy is a treatment that is most effective for tumors that are estrogen or progesterone receptors. Blocking these hormones can help prevent the recurrence of cancer; this therapy is also used after chemotherapy.
• Bone modifying agents
  This is used to prevent the destruction of the patient’s bones, and low doses are used to prevent osteoporosis. There are two types of medications that come under this type, that is, Bisphosphonates and Denosumab.
• Immunotherapy
  This treatment for breast cancer is where medication is given to boost the body’s immune system, making it strong enough to fight the cancer cells by itself.