A hundred years ago the only treatment available for breast cancer was a removal of the affected breast. Treatment today is still mostly revolved around surgery, but procedure is more refined these days. Surgery is usually combined with two other methods, radiation or chemotherapy. There are also many alternative treatments and new research always leads to new developments. This article is a general review of the most common treatment methods for breast cancer. It is a starting point for anyone who wishes to understand how treatment is administered, but for more elaborated and specific information please consult your doctor.

One may encounter many complicated words and terms when first researching the treatment options, but there are effectively two philosophies leading to any kind of procedure: To preserve the breast or to remove it.
Surgery is hence divided into two kinds of procedures, breast conserving surgery, commonly known as lumpectomy in which only the tumour is removed and the healthy breast tissue is radiated afterwards, and mastectomy - in which the whole breast is removed. Here too radiation is common to prevent reoccurrence of the cancer. When required, surgery also includes removal of sick arm pit lymph nodes; this procedure is called Axillary's lymph node dissection. Today, in order to discover if cancer has spread to the nodes, there is a need to remove fewer nodes and hence the side effects have been reduced.

Radiation therapy consists of targeted use of Xray or gamma rays that are especially efficient in destroying cancer cells. This mode of treatment is usually a part of breast conservation therapy and its purpose is to reduce the chance that cancer will recur. However, there has been no connection established between radiation treatments and prolonging survival of the afflicted. Some surgeons believe therefore that lumpectomy alone is a reasonable treatment for breast conservation. Radiation is not only recommended after lumpectomy but also as prior treatment to a mastectomy. Radiation in these cases is combines with chemotherapy. Breast and armpits may be treated before an operation. Radiation side effects are today practically non existent. Fatigue is natural and is the result of healthy tissue repairing itself. A sun tan change of skin in the area treated may also be experienced but this fades in time.
Other side effects noted are swelling and redness of breast skin, tenderness in treated area and long term shrinking of the irritated breast.
A relatively new treatment for breast cancer is called Brachytherapy. Brachy is the Greek term for short and this indicated the short distance of the therapy. This treatment entails the placement of a sealed radioactive source near to the afflicted area that requires treatment. This is also popular in treating prostate cancer and cancers in the head and neck areas. This treatment is called.
Radiation therapy is usually local and will concentrate on the operated area and its surroundings. Chemo therapy, hormonal or immune treatments cover the whole body. Whole body treatments are generally known as Systemic Therapy.
Women of high risk usually undergo different treatment courses than low risk women. Risk is determined by different factors such as: age, type of cancer, size, metastasis and also the existence of breast cancer in the family and genetic diagnosis.
Hormonal therapy is a method that uses hormones to treat breast cancer. One should be tested to see if the cancer is indeed fitting for this kind of treatment as only hormone receptor positive cancer can be treated this way. Sometimes called anti-estrogen therapy, the treatment is basically causing a hormonal shield against the recurring of cancer by blocking the ability of estrogen hormone to stimulate the creation and growth of cancer cells. Tamoxifen is the medicine of choice for pre menstrual women with hormone-receptor-positive cancer. Aromatase inhibitors are the treatment popular today for post menstrual women who react to hormonal treatment of breast cancer.
Chemotherapy is usually given before and after surgery. Before surgery it is used to shrink the tumour size and after it to reduce reoccurrence chances. Chemotherapy is effective against cancer cells because the drugs given interfere with the dividing of cells, hence this stop the growth of the cancer tumour and thus kill it. Since chemotherapy slows down cell division its effect on healthy cells can be mostly felt in areas such as mouth, nostrils, intestines, vagina and hair. However the liver and kidneys, where cell division is slow, are rarely affected. The areas most affected have however the ability to heal themselves fastest due to rapid cell division, so most of the side effects are temporary. Chemotherapy treats the whole body and hence has the advantage of being at the right place at the right time, ready to stop uncontrolled chaotic growth of cells, which is typical to cancer, all over the body. Small tumours grow fastest because the cells dividing receive plenty of oxygen and energy from their healthy surrounding, and this is where Chemotherapy can be most effective. For many women chemotherapy is an insurance against reoccurrence of cancer, and it is more popular since its side effects today are much easier to tolerate than a few years ago.
One of the more important aspects of treatment against cancer and recovery is support groups for the patients and their families. The emotional stress involved with the diagnosis and the treatment procedure is severe. Many hospitals in the USA are connected to support groups. Online support groups too are very beneficial, especially improvising information about the questions needed to be asked before procedure and the reduction of self image during the treatment phase.
It is most important to know that the correct treatment course is individual and every person needs to decide for oneself what the right way to go is. Research is also developing in new areas of alternative treatment and it is best to be informed before undergoing any treatment. A tip for the afflicted: Make sure to discuss with your doctor what the possibilities available, at what cost, which time frame and what risks. Make sure your family is just as aware of the procedure and risks as you are, as their support is vital to your survival. Read articles and books and research the web for information about your exact type of cancer and people who have gone through it. Meet with other patients - mutual support is vital. Write about your experiences - writing is one of the best ways to process events in the human psyche, and others may in future benefit from your experience.