Breast Cancer Treatments for Different Stages
Cancer Research Helps Determine Risks & Treatment
May 9, 2009
For women with breast cancer, saving the breast options include breast-conserving surgery. This option is recommended when the breast cancer is small enough for the procedure to be effective, according to The American Cancer Society (author unknown) web site article titled, “How Is Breast Cancer Treated?” The article was last revised in 03/02/2009.
In some cases stage 1 breast cancers can be removed surgically avoiding a mastectomy, according to the article. After diagnosis, the stage of the breast cancer will be 1 to 4. The stage numbers are followed by letters and additional numbers which reveal more information about the cancer.
Treatments for Breast Cancer Stages
Stage 1 breast cancers are small and have not invaded the lymph nodes or other parts of the body, according to the article, “How Is Breast Cancer Treated?” The general treatments are breast-conserving surgery such as a partial mastectomy or lump removal (lumpectomy). Breast reconstruction may be needed, and can be done at time of the surgery or later.
If the stage 1 breast cancer is larger, and/or has spread to nearby lymph nodes, surgery and radiation therapy (for lumps more than 5 cm across) may be prescribed, according to the American Cancer Society article. The article advises, “Neoadjuvant therapy:...is an option...[for women] who would like to have breast-conserving therapy for tumors larger than 2 cm (4/5 inch across)...[they may] have neoadjuvant therapy [which can Include] chemotherapy, hormone therapy, trastuzumab...to shrink the tumor.” If the tumor shrinks it may be possible to have breast-conserving surgery.
Chemotherapy & Radiation Therapy After Surgery
Women with stage 2 breast cancer receive almost the same treatments as stage 1, however, adjuvant systemic therapy is recommended, according to the article. Adjuvant systemic therapy may include “hormone therapy, chemotherapy, trastuzumab, or some combination of these, depending on....age, estrogen-receptor status." Stage 2 patients may require chemotherapy and radiation therapy after surgery.
Treatments for stage 3 breast cancer can be the same as stage 1 and stage 2 breast cancer, according to “How Is Breast Cancer Treated?” Women with advanced stage 3A, stage 3B, and 3C cancers usually have chemotherapy before surgery. Then a “modified radical mastectomy” is performed sometimes with and sometimes without beast-conserving surgery. In most cases the surgery is followed by radiation therapy, “even if a mastectomy is done.”
Stage 4 breast cancers have spread to other parts of the body. Surgery or radiation is sometimes recommended, but usually does not completely cure stage 4 cancers, according to the article.
Breast Cancer Facts & Statistics
The drug Trastuzumab given with a first chemotherapy treatment, for stage 4 breast cancers, helps some women to live longer than the average stage 4 survival rate, according to “How Is Breast Cancer Treated?” The article takes its facts from breast cancer survival statistics. Other treatments to extend survival rate chances are systemic therapies:
- Hormone therapy.
- Chemotherapy.
- Newer therapies.
According to the article all of these systemic therapies have potential side effects.
The American Cancer Society advises that some breast cancer causes can be modified through life-style changes. The organization recommends that women be tested before experiencing breast cancer symptoms. Breast cancer statistics help determine treatment and average survival rate, and breast cancer facts are presented as breast cancer stages. The American Cancer Society article advises that the information in the article about treatment is general, and doctors may prescribe other treatments depending on each individual situation.
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