What Are The Best Breast Cancer Treatment Options For You?
March 7th, 2009 | by Clare |
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Directly you hear the word ‘breast cancer’, the picture of a female patient is conjured up. This disease is not confined to females. This is known to afflict men rarely as well. Breast cancer, which is the 2nd most widespread form of cancer globally, develops in the tissues of the breast in men and women.
Initial symptom of breast cancer is the sensation of a growth or swelling in the locality of breast or underarm. Apart from that, signs of enlargement of the breast or part of it, change in the form and size of the breast, skin inflammation or dimpling, turning inward of the nipple and flow of fluid other than milk from the breast. It pays to be cognizant of these signs for early detection of cancer.
the best action to take as soon as you see initial signs of breast cancer, visit a physician. Your doctor will feel your breasts for lumps or any suspect growth. Harmless growth feel differently from harmful cancer-causing lumps. Any doubts with regard to his examination will be sorted out with the help of tests such as MRI scan, mammography test, ultrasound scan or a biopsy. If you are diagnosed with the disease, he may order more lab tests to help him further study it and plan the breast cancer treatment options available to you.
Various therapy methods are available for breast cancer. They are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy and biological therapy. Out of these, surgery and radiation are local therapies. The rest is known as systemic treatments. The former removes or destroys the cancer in the breast whilst the latter enters the blood stream and controls or destroys the cancer.
Breast cancer is related to various risk factors. If you are a female, the chances of contracting this disease is great as a female’s breast cells are open to hormones like estrogen and progesterone at all times. The risks also increase with age. If someone in your family has had breast cancer, you are more at risk than those who do not have a significant family history.
In the world today, breast cancer is said to be the 5th most widespread cause of cancer-related deaths. You can imagine the seriousness of the problem. However, it’s comforting to know that billions of dollars are spent yearly on research work to find out the causes and treatments of cancer.