Breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in women, skin cancer being the first.
Breast cancer is treated in several ways. It depends on the kind of breast cancer and how far it has spread. People with breast cancer often get more than one kind of treatment.
Surgery. An operation where doctors cut out cancer tissue.
Chemotherapy. Using special medicines to shrink or kill the cancer cells. The drugs can be pills you take or medicines given in your veins, or sometimes both.
Hormonal therapy. Blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow.
Biological therapy. Works with your body’s immune system to help it fight cancer cells or to control side effects from other cancer treatments.
Radiation therapy. Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer cells.
Surgery is usually the first type of treatment for breast cancer. The type of surgery you have will depend on the type of breast cancer you have. This is usually followed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy or, in some cases, hormone or targeted therapies.
Again, the treatment you'll have will depend on the type of breast cancer.
Choosing the treatment that is right for you may be hard. Talk to your cancer doctor about the treatment options available for your type and stage of cancer. Your doctor can explain the risks and benefits of each treatment and its side effects. Chemotherapy or hormone therapy will sometimes be the first treatment.
Most breast cancers are discovered at an early stage. But a small proportion of women discover they have breast cancer after it spreads to other parts of the body (metastasis).
If this is the case, the type of treatment you have may be different. Secondary cancer, also called "advanced" or "metastatic" cancer, is not curable.
Treatment aims to achieve remission, where cancer shrinks or disappears, and you feel normal and able to enjoy life to the full.
There are 2 main types of breast cancer surgery:
breast-conserving, surgery, where the cancerous lump (tumour) is removed
mastectomy, where the whole breast is removed
In many cases, a mastectomy can be followed by reconstructive surgery to try to recreate a breast.
Studies have shown that breast-conserving surgery followed by radiotherapy is as successful as total mastectomy at treating early-stage breast cancer.
Your surgeon will always remove an area of healthy breast tissue around the tumour, which will be tested for traces of cancer.
If there's no cancer present in the healthy tissue, there's less chance that cancer will return.
If cancer cells are found in the surrounding tissue, more tissue may need to be removed from your breast.
After having breast-conserving surgery, you'll usually be offered radiotherapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Dealing with cancer can be a huge challenge for you and your family and friends. It can cause emotional and practical difficulties.
Many women with breast cancer will have to cope with the removal of part or all of a breast, which can be very upsetting.
It often helps to talk about your feelings or other difficulties with a trained counsellor or therapist. You can ask for this kind of help at any stage of your illness. It can also help to talk to someone who's been through the same thing as you. Many breast cancer charities have helplines and online forums and staff can also put you in touch with other women who have had cancer treatment.
Unfortunately, there is still no cure for breast cancer.
However, scientists are developing new diagnostic tools and treatments every day to help people with breast cancer live longer and with better quality of life on average.
Writer : Ridhee Awotarowa
Editor : Khisha Callicharrun