In the recent past, a number of life-saving treatment advances have been made against breast cancer, bringing in new hope and excitement. Initially there were only one or two options, but today there is an overwhelming list of treatment choices that fight cancer.
After you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you and your doctors can work in coordination with a treatment plan that will best fit your diagnosis and pathology report. Your treatment plan will comprise of one or more treatments that are aimed to target the cancer cells in numerous ways and minimize the risk of future occurrence of breast cancer. The doctor will determine the best treatment based on your unique individual situation. They will also take into consideration your overall medical condition and your personal choice while making decisions. However, you may have to re-evaluate your decisions at regular intervals. Your medical team will guide to through this.
Your team of doctors may recommend the following “pathway”:
1) Usually surgery is done first. Normally, surgery is used to remove the breast cancer and also to reconstruct the breast. These 2 things usually happens at the same time.
2) If chemotherapy is going to be suggested to you, it will often be given second.
3) Radiation therapy is normally given after surgery and chemotherapy
4) A hormonal therapy usually commences after the other treatments have been given and if the cancer is diagnosed to be hormone-receptor positive.
However, there may be exceptions to this sequence. There may also be other variations in sequence and timing. Feel free to talk to your doctor to determine the best sequence of treatments for you. You may also want to talk to your doctor about breast reconstruction and consult a plastic surgeon as well.
If your treatment includes chemotherapy or radiation, your immune system will certainly become very week during this procedure. If you had chicken pox as a kid and you are 50 or older, it is wise to ask your doctor about the shingles vaccine before you start your breast cancer treatment in Texas or any other part of country.
To better understand your diagnosis and treatment options, you can get online and check with the best cancer centers that can provide detailed information on each type of treatment. Let your doctor fight this fatal disease together with you and your loved ones so that you start living happily sooner.