What are the treatment options for breast cancer patients?
There are typically three types of treatment options for people diagnosed with breast cancer including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. These treatments may be used alone or in combination for optimal results. • Surgery: Depending upon the size of the mass, either a lumpectomy, a procedure involving the removal of the tumor and its surrounding tissues will be performed, or a mastectomy, which is the removal of the entire breast. • Radiation: This form of treatment involves being placed under a machine that directs high energy rays at the tumor to ensure the cancer cells die. • Chemotherapy: This treatment involves the patient taking drugs intravenously, orally or through injection. The medicines kill cells that replicate quickly, which of course gets rid of the cancer cells, but can also kill healthy cells, explaining hair loss and a general ill feeling.
