Breast Cancer Therapy

Breast cancer treatment can be highly effective, with 90% or higher survival rates achieved when the disease is detected early. Surgery and radiation therapy are commonly used to control the disease in the breast, lymph nodes, and surrounding areas (locoregional control), and systemic therapy (anti-cancer medicines given orally or intravenously) to treat and/or reduce the risk of the cancer spreading (metastasis). Endocrine (hormone) therapy, chemotherapy, and, in some cases, targeted biologic therapy are examples of anti-cancer medications (antibodies).

Some treatments are standard (currently used), while others are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study designed to improve current treatments or gather information on new treatments for cancer patients. When clinical trials demonstrate that a new treatment outperforms the standard treatment, the new treatment may be adopted as the standard treatment. Patients may wish to consider participating in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are only available to patients who have not yet begun treatment.

The following types of treatment are used:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Hormone therapy
• Targeted therapy
• Immunotherapy