What are some Breast Cancer treatments?

Answer:
There is a treatment for every type and stage of breast cancer.

In most cases women will undergo surgery along with additional treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation or hormone therapy.

Radical mastectomy is a surgery that is rarely performed these days. The vast majority of women with breast cancer are, instead, candidates for a simple mastectomy or lumpectomy. If you decide on mastectomy, you may opt for breast reconstruction.

Breast cancer operations include the following:

Lumpectomy This procedure removes just the lump and the surrounding normal tissue, thus saving as much of your breast as possible. This surgery is often followed by radiation therapy. If the tumor is large, and the patient still wishes to try a lumpectomy, chemotherapy is an option to shrink the tumor prior to surgery.

Partial mastectomy This operation also spares the removal of the breast. In this case the tumor is removed as well as breast tissue surrounding the tumor. In addition to this, the lining of the chest muscles beneath the tumor is removed, as well. Again, this surgery is usually followed up with radiation therapy.

Simple mastectomy If the tumor is too large for the preceding operations, a simple mastectomy will be performed. In this surgery, all your breast tissue is removed. This includes the lobules, ducts, fatty tissue, nipple and areola. Further treatment with radiation, chemotherapy, or hormonal therapy may be needed to treat the chest wall.

Modified radical mastectomy In a modified radical mastectomy, your entire breast, as well as the overlying skin, and some underarm lymph nodes are removed. However, the chest muscles are left intact, making breast reconstruction easier.


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