Understand Your Treatment Options And Their Potential Side Effects

Breast cancer treatments are being scrutinized currently, and newer and better options have been sought. However, there are limitations to each kind of treatment in the sense that some side effects cannot be helped. This means that patients have to go through certain difficulties that come along with the treatments if they want to be cured.

Below are brief descriptions of a few breast cancer treatments that are available, their level of success, and the possible side effects that come along with them.

1. Surgery, being one of the options, is conducted in order to preserve the breast if possible. This is also called a lumpectomy. Under this description come different forms of surgery of the breast. Examples of these are mastectomy, dissection of lymph nodes, etc.
   
   Quite naturally, there would be side-effects to this process as there are with other surgeries. The chances of infections are existent and varied levels and there are always chances of patients reacting with medicines that are used on them. Surgery has its own merits as far as success is concerned.
   
   It can be successful provided that all the cancerous substances have been removed from the patient’s body. In addition to this the aggressiveness of the cancer and the chances of occurrence need to be considered, as these play an important role in one getting a growth of cancer again.
   
   
2. Another treatment that is used against cancer is Radiation therapy. It is supposed to be a highly successful form of cancer removal from one’s body provided that all cancer-causing cells have been removed.
   
   
3. Herceptin (trastuzumab) treatment is known to be the only known immune treatment available. It is considered an immune treatment because of the fact that it helps in fighting cancer through the immune system. The process through which it works includes the development of an anti-body that works against the growth of cancer cells.
   
   By opposing growth of cancer cells, the cancer process is slowed down considerably. This process is typically suited to fighting cancers that produce significant amounts of HER2/neu, or HER2. It is known that one in every 4 breast cancers produce these substances. So this means that 25% of the cancers can be dealt with through this process. Considering the side effects of this treatment, mild ones include flu-like symptoms, such as colds, chills, nausea, etc.
   
   However, more severe side effects include heart problems. The cause of these heart problems is congestion and weakening of the heart. Since the heart is weakened with more chances of weakening it is advised that women should discontinue this cancer treatment process and begin medication for rebuilding the heart’s strength.
   
   
4. Radiation therapy, as opposed to the mythical information about it, is now accepted as a progressive form of therapy. It is believed that radiation therapy manages to remove or kill cancerous cells from the cancerous sites.
   
   Radiation manages to kill the cancerous cells outright instead of trying to slow production down. Of course side effects are present as well, and these are usually caused by the radiation that kills body cells aside from the cancer cells. Uneasiness and pain are common when this happens, and great care should be taken when this process is underway.
   
   
5. Chemotherapy is also believed to be a successful form of treating cancer. This is because of the success it has enjoyed. However, there are also side effects to this process. Patients tend to feel a great deal of discomfort particularly when they have to go through repeated processes.
   
   
6. Tamoxifen is another type of treatment that is considered successful with treating breast cancer. It is dependant on estrogen receptors, and is also considered to be a viable form of treatment. However, this treatment as well is not without side-effects.
   
   It can have serious repercussions in some cases, as in some it may cause cancer of the uterus and may even form blood clots. It is these blood clots that become an automatic risk to the heart. Indeed, this form of treatment is encompassed by hormonal therapies, which are believed to have significant levels of success.