Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. It is also the second most dangerous type of cancer among women, and it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for women living in the United States. Breast cancer is the highest cause of death for women between the ages of 45- and 55-years-old. Breast cancer is extremely common in women, however, only a very, very small amount of men are ever diagnosed with cancer. There are several different treatment options for curing breast cancer.
Surgery
Surgery is the most common and popular treatment and cure for dealing with breast cancer. There are two different kinds of breast cancer surgeries, and they are lumpectomies (surgery to remove the tumor and surrounding tissue) and mastectomies (breast removal surgery). These surgeries either include or omit taking out the lymph nodes.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a very popular cancer treatment option that involves killing and destroying the cancer cells by using drugs. There are various different types of chemotherapy that all use different drugs and medications to destroy the cancerous cells. Chemotherapy has a host of side effects, including lowered blood cell count, fatigue, nausea, hot flashes, early menopause and most commonly, full hair loss.
Biological Therapy
Biological therapies for breast cancer treatment operate by using the immune system of the body in order to kill the cancerous cells. One example of a biological therapy is Herceptin, which focuses on the malignant breast cancer cells that contain large amounts of a protein called HER2.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy is another well known breast cancer cure. This therapy treatment utilizes drugs to stop hormones, such as estrogen, from encouraging the growth and expansion of any breast cancer cells that might be lingering post-surgery, like lumpectomies and mastectomies.
Considerations
When considering which type of breast cancer treatment to undergo, it is important for a patient to discuss with her doctor all of the possible health benefits and health negative effects to help her choose the appropriate treatment option. Depending on the person's age, medical history, type of cancer and stage of cancer, the best possible treatment method always varies.
Tags: breast cancer, cancer cells, cancer treatment, among women, breast cancer, Breast cancer