Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

21 Jul

Posted by Admin as Female health

Chemotherapy needs to be tailored to the type of cancer involved. Women require different treatments depending on whether the tumor is node-negative or -positive, hormone receptor-positive or -negative, or HER2-positive or -negative. Different treatment approaches are also used for early-stage cancer and advanced cancer.

The oncologist will also determine how long and how often you will have chemotherapy treatments. Chemotherapy can be administered intravenously (in the vein) or by pill, and is usually a combination of drugs. Chemotherapy treatments are often given in cycles; a treatment for a period of time, followed by a recovery period, then another treatment. Chemotherapy may be given in a variety of settings including your home, a hospital outpatient facility, a physician’s office or clinic, or in a hospital.

Chemotherapy drugs are active against cancer cells that may have been left behind after surgery or against cancer cells that may have spread to other organs. These drugs are usually given intravenously but some of them can be taken in a pill form. The chemotherapy drugs travel through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells in most parts of the body.

Chemotherapy is used for breast cancer treatment in three main ways:

Neoadjuvant or primary systemic breast cancer chemotherapy may be used before surgery to reduce the size of large tumors and to destroy cancer cells. This type of chemotherapy often makes breast-conserving surgery possible. and also helps our cancer doctors to determine the effectiveness of a particular regimen on your tumor.

Adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy, used after surgery or radiation, helps to further target breast cancer cells that may not have been removed during surgery, and/or may also prevent breast cancer from spreading to other parts of your body.

Duration of chemotherapy

Chemotherapy for breast cancer is usually given as a series of treatments every two to four weeks over a period of four to six months. This can vary, depending on the type and stage of your cancer, your general health and the combination of drugs used.

Most patients receive chemotherapy after they heal from breast surgery and prior to radiation. The physician chooses the chemotherapy drugs and sequence of treatment based on the details of each case. Researchers conduct many clinical trials to find drug combinations and treatment sequences that result in improved outcomes for patients who have breast cancer.

Side Effects of Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

The side effects of chemotherapy depend on the type of drugs used, the amount taken and the length of treatment.

Many side effects can be treated with drugs that prevent or reduce nausea and vomiting. Growth factors are drugs that stimulate the production of red or white blood cells. They can help bone marrow recover after chemotherapy and prevent problems resulting from low blood counts. The use of these drugs allows doctors to give chemotherapy more frequently.