Stages of Breast Cancer and Treatment Options

Overview

If you have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, you might be aware that there are numerous treatment choices available these days. The majority of these are determined by the patient's age and the stage of cancer. In addition, for many patients, your oncologist may recommend breast cancer treatment planning that combines two or more modalities. Here we have addressed the same with our expert oncologist. Continue reading to find out more.

Understanding the stages of breast cancer:

Your doctor will assign a stage to your cancer after your physical exam and the preliminary results of your mammography or another diagnostic imaging test.

The stage may be changed based on the results of your breast biopsy or surgery. Your doctor will use the T-N-M scale to determine the stage of your cancer: T for tumor size, N for the involvement of neighboring lymph nodes, and M for whether cancer has metastasized (spread) beyond the breast to other regions of your body.

The assigned stages are following-

• Stage 0- abnormal cells are present inside the breast tissue but have not involved the nearby tissues.

• Stage 1- cancer has spread to other tissues surrounding the area but has involved a small area. This suggests that the cancer is in its early stage.
• Stage 2- the tumor size is between 20 mm and 50 mm and has involved nearby lymph nodes. Or the tumor size is beyond 50 mm without involving lymph nodes.
• Stage 3- if the tumor size is beyond 50 mm and has spread to a wider region involving several lymph nodes. This suggests that the cancer cells may have spread into the chest walls.
• Stage 4- cancer cells are not limited to breast tissues and have spread to other body parts as well.

What are the treatment options available for breast cancer?

The two primary goals of breast cancer treatment are to remove as much cancer as possible while also preventing tumors from recurring.

The following therapies are available:

• Surgical treatment for breast cancer- During this operation, the damaged breast tissues are removed. If the lymph nodes are not impacted, the surgery can be avoided. A nipple-sparing mastectomy, which preserves the nipple and areolar complex, can also be performed. After surgery, implants or the patient's own tissue, which is usually extracted from the lower abdomen, might be utilized for breast reconstruction.

• Radiation therapy- According to radiologists, the therapy can be provided 5 days a week for 5-7 weeks.

Radiation therapy is a type of targeted therapy that uses high-energy X-rays to eliminate cancer cells and prevent their spread. This treatment is often recommended in the early stages of breast cancer and has been shown to minimize the risk of cancer recurrence.

It aids in the reduction of the cancer mass prior to surgery.

This is frequently used as adjuvant therapy in conjunction with other therapeutic techniques.

• Chemotherapy- Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses medicines to kill cancer cells throughout the body. It is normally administered intravenously or orally as pills, but on rare occasions, it is injected directly into the spinal fluid surrounding the spinal cord.

Chemotherapy is not always necessary for women who have breast cancer. It's frequently taken before or after surgery to shrink a tumor and make it easier to remove or destroy any remaining cancer cells.

• Targeted therapy- This works similarly to chemotherapy.

Targeted treatment medicines are meant to attack specific cancer cells while harming healthy cells as little as possible, and they have fewer side effects than chemotherapy drugs.

• Hormonal therapy- If you have hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, this therapy option may be beneficial to you. Cancer cells multiply by adhering to hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.

Hormone therapy has several forms, but the bulk of the work is by regulating estrogen levels and preventing estrogen from adhering to cancer cells.

• Immunotherapy- Immunotherapy, also known as biological therapy, is a type of cancer treatment that strengthens the patient's immune system, allowing it to fight cancer more effectively.

What are the things you need to consider while making treatment choices?

Both you and your doctor must agree on a treatment plan for your cancer.

It is absolutely up to you whether or not you choose to pursue a recommended treatment, especially if you have several options.

Pay attention to your doctor while simultaneously making certain that your doctor is paying attention to you. It is critical to discuss with your doctor your treatment priorities and preferences, whether they are quality of life, pain control, or aggressiveness of the treatment.

Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each treatment option. Give your doctor's advice some thought so that you and your oncologist may make an informed decision.

Why should you consider getting cancer treatment in India?

For a few major reasons, India is the most favored place for cancer treatment operations. And if you are searching for breast cancer treatment in India, we will help you to find the same.

• India's cutting-edge techniques,
• Advanced medical diagnostic equipment
• Cancer research studies
• Successful clinical trials
• Medical skills, and
• Breast cancer treatment costs in India are very much more affordable than anywhere in the world, as our patients need affordable and quality outcomes.

All these have significantly increased the success rate of immunotherapy for cancer treatment in India.

Conclusion-By simply packing for their medical journey to India,cancer treatment can substantially benefit the patient. We also offer a comprehensive range of counseling services for coping with emotional challenges to our international patients.

How can we help with the treatment?

If you are in search of a cancer treatment hospital inIndia, we will serve as your guide throughout your treatment and will be physically present with you even before your treatment begins. The following will be provided to you:

• Opinions of expert physicians and surgeons
• Transparent communication
• Coordinated care
• Prior appointment with specialists
• Assistance with hospital formalities
• 24*7 availability
• Arrangement for travel
• Assistance for accommodation and healthy recovery
• Assistance in emergencies

We are dedicated to offering the highest quality health care to our patients. We have a team of highly qualified and devoted health professionals that will be by your side from the beginning of your journey.