Breast Cancer Treatment

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are used to destroy or
control cancer cells anywhere in the body. Chemotherapy and hormonal therapy
are considered systemic treatments.
Surgery is the most common treatment for breast cancer. Although there
are many different types of breast cancer surgery, they all fit into a few basic
categories. An operation that aims to remove most or all of the breast is
called a mastectomy. If at all possible, doctors shy away from mastectomies due
to the side effects which include loss of strength in the closest arm, swelling
of the arm, and limitation of shoulder movement. If a mastectomy must be
performed, the physician will often suggest post surgical reconstruction of the
breast (Kushner 37).
Another type of breast cancer surgery is called breast-sparing surgery.
This category would include lumpectomies and segmental mastectomies. In this
situation, doctors remove only the tumor and make an attempt at sparing the rest
of the breast tissue. These procedures are often ...

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cycles; a treatment period followed by a recovery period, then another
treatment, and so on (NIH 23). Like radiation therapy, chemotherapy can be
administered on an outpatient basis. Although chemotherapy works to kill cancer
cells, some of the side effects almost make treatment unbearable. Common side
effects include nausea, decrease of appetite, hair loss, vaginal sores,
infertility, and fatigue (ACS For Women 32). Most of these effects, except
infertility, cease when the treatment is over.
There are many other possible treatments for breast cancer that are
currently under study. One of the biggest clinical trials involves hormone
therapy. This treatment uses medication ...

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