New Treatment Options For Breast Cancer

Posted by Cancer Care on Sunday, November 14, 2010


Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses powerful gamma rays (X-rays) which target the specific area that needs to be treated with great precision. Generally, radiation therapy is done after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that have not been withdrawn or which formed until the tumor was removed. As with all treatments involving X-rays, there are some disadvantages to the radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy consists of the administration of drugs that kill cancer cells or prevent them from growing. Chemotherapy is a treatment method to use both before and after surgery. Most patients with breast cancer are two to four cycles of chemotherapy to start before tests are performed to see what effect it has had on cancer.Many people are familiar with chemotherapy side effects, but the side effects do not depend on drugs to treat the patient.
There are three different strategies are used in chemotherapy for breast cancer:
Adjuvant chemotherapy, "this is given to patients who have undergone curative treatment for breast cancer, such as radiation or surgery. To reduce the possibility of the recurrence of breast cancer, this treatment is given.
Pre-surgical chemotherapy "is to reduce the possibility of a large tumor and / or kill any stray cancer cells. This will also increase the possibility that the surgery will kill the cancer completely.
Regular chemotherapy, "this is usually the people who have breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast or the environment local area.
Hormone therapy may also occur, as many breast cancers, such as those having a broad estrogen or progesterone receptors are sensitive to changes in hormones.
Tamoxifen treatment of breast cancer
Women who are genetically at high risk of developing breast cancer may benefit from tamoxifen as it has previously been seen in reducing the incidence of the disease. Raloxifene, used to treat osteoporosis, is being studied for the treatment of breast cancer.
In some cases of breast cancer, a woman of natural hormones are suppressed with drugs, while other patients find benefits by adding hormones. It can be used to treat breast cancer and the prevention of breast cancer. Tamoxifen has few side effects and can significantly improve the lives of women who have advanced cases of breast cancer.
Fulvestrant treatment of breast cancer
Another treatment, Fulvestrant has recently been approved in the U.S.. It is planned to be used for the treatment of hormone receptor positive metastastic breast cancer in women who have been through menopause. Is given following antiestrogen therapy.
Monoclonal breast cancer treatment
Another treatment known as monoclonal antibodies is that they are antagonistic against the proteins, which are in or around the cancer cells. They recognize an invader like a cancer cell and attack him. This antibody therapy is currently being investigated has a lot of hope for those suffering from breast cancer.
Preventive or prophylactic mastectomies
More and more women who are at high risk of developing breast cancer are taking preventive or prophylactic mastectomies to avoid developing breast cancer.
The main risk factors for women to develop breast cancer are age, sex and genetics.

Source by ezineaarticles.com

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