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Treatment Timeline for Breast Cancer: The Steps Ahead administrator 5 Lượt xem • 2 năm trước kia

We teach you about the steps needed to diagnose and effectively treat your breast cancer. Know what comes next in your breast cancer journey.

VISIT THE BREAST CANCER SCHOOL FOR PATIENTS:
http://www.breastcancercourse.org

LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR YOUR DOCTORS:
http://www.breastcancercourse.org/breast-health-updates-latest-videos/

FOLLOW US:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Breas....t-Cancer-School-for-
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You have plenty of time to make decisions

Making good decisions is the most difficult part of having breast cancer. You will feel pressed for time to learn everything and start your treatment as soon as possible. Time is usually on your side. You must work with your team to learn everything about your cancer and treatment options. We created the Breast Cancer School for Patients to quickly teach you to be your own expert in breast cancer. You will make better decisions once you become your own “expert” and best advocate.

A few facts about time to treatment:

The average time from the date of cancer diagnosis to the day of lumpectomy surgery is about 32 days. The average time to mastectomy surgery is about 40 days.

It can take anywhere from 3 to 12 months from cancer diagnosis to complete your final treatments, and up to ten years if you need hormonal therapy. It is a marathon. Conserve your emotional and physical efforts for the challenges ahead.

Finding your breast cancer (1 – 3 weeks)

Most small breast cancers are found on screening mammography and possibly by ultrasound or maybe a breast MRI. You may have detected your own breast lump and sought further help from your physician. The time to schedule a mammogram, have it performed, return for further breast imaging and then get the results can take days to weeks. Always ask to have your tests and appointments scheduled as soon as possible.

Getting a diagnosis: biopsy & results (2 – 14 days)

Getting scheduled to have an image-guided breast biopsy by a breast surgeon or radiologist can vary. Most NAPBC accredited Breast Centers work quickly to schedule biopsies for those who might have a breast cancer. Our “Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy“ lesson (here) outlines why needle biopsies are the standard of care.
Make sure to ask (demand) that the physician who does your biopsy personally calls you with the results within a day or two. Call for your biopsy pathology results if you think there is a delay.

My pathology report: (3 – 14 days)

Ask for a copy of your initial biopsy report that will be available in 2-3 days.
Ask for a copy of your final pathology report with your receptor results.
Our courses on “My Pathology Report” and “My Receptors” offer more details.

Surgery or chemotherapy first?

Surgery is usually the first treatment for early stage breast cancer.
Most patients will not need chemotherapy.
If you have Estrogen receptor negative (ER-) or a “HER2-Positive“ tumor, then you will likely need chemotherapy either before or after surgery. There are distinct benefits to “Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy” before surgery. Take our video lessons linked to these topics.

Is radiation needed? (4 – 6 weeks)

Most patients that have a lumpectomy will need radiation.
Whole breast radiation is the most common type and takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Only a few patients that have a mastectomy will also need radiation.

Patient-Friendly References:

NCCN Guidelines for Patients www.nccn.org
You will find well-organized guides (here) on breast cancer treatment by stage. Follow the prompts to breast cancer and then “stage” in the dropdown menus. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network is a consortium of organizations and governmental agencies to promote quality

Hormonal Therapy for Breast Cancer: We Teach You administrator 2 Lượt xem • 2 năm trước kia

We teach you about hormonal therapy for breast cancer. Drugs such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors are key treatment options for most breast cancers.

VISIT THE BREAST CANCER SCHOOL FOR PATIENTS:
http://www.breastcancercourse.org

LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR YOUR DOCTORS:
http://www.breastcancercourse.org/breast-health-updates-latest-videos/

FOLLOW US:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Breas....t-Cancer-School-for-
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Questions for your Medical Oncologist:
1. What type of hormonal therapy do you recommend?
2. Will I also benefit from chemotherapy?
3. What are the side effects of hormonal therapy?
4. Will I need 5 or 10 years of these medications?
5. Would the genomic assay Oncotype DX be helpful?
6. What is Hormonal Therapy?

Anti-estrogen (estrogen-blocking) medications, prescribed as pills, are incredibly effective at treating certain types of breast cancer. Hormonal therapy is given to about 70 to 80% of women with breast cancer. Chemotherapy, on the other hand, is a more intense cancer treatment that is generally administered intravenously. Most patients will not need chemotherapy. Many women that do need chemotherapy will also benefit from hormonal therapy. These treatment decisions are complex ones with your medical oncologist. You will make better choices when you are well informed before meeting with your medical oncologist.

Do my “Receptors” suggest Hormonal Therapy?

When the estrogen circulating in your blood stream interacts with a breast cancer that has “Estrogen Receptors” (ER) present on its surface, it tends to flip the ER switch to the “on” or “grow” position for ER Positive tumors. The same can be said to a lesser extent for the “Progesterone Receptor,” if your cancer is found to also be PR positive. Patients with ER+ breast cancers almost always benefit from the anti-estrogen effects of hormonal therapy. These medications can make cancer cells die, or slow down their growth. If a few cancer cells have already spread to other parts of the body, these medications are incredibly effective at preventing these cells from growing and threatening your life in the future. In other words, those who take hormonal therapy for ER+ tumors have a more successful chance at long-term survival when compared to those who do not.

About 80% of all breast cancers are ER+. Even if your medical oncologist recommends chemotherapy for you, if your tumor is ER+ you will also benefit from up to 10 years of hormonal therapy after chemotherapy. Hormonal therapy is never given during chemotherapy nor during radiation therapy.

What is “Tamoxifen?”

Tamoxifen is an anti-estrogen medication (pills) that has been used with great success with ER+ cancers for three decades. It is now the primary hormonal therapy for younger, pre-menopausal women. It is also the primary drug for men with breast cancer. It is used for some post-menopausal women.

What are “Aromatase Inhibitors?”

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are a class of anti-estrogen medications (pills) that have proven to be slightly more effective than Tamoxifen for post-menopausal women. It is not recommended for younger, pre-menopausal women, except in certain circumstances. The three most common versions are Anastrozole (Arimidex), Letrozole (Femara), and Exemestane (Aromasin).

What are the side effects of Hormonal Therapy?

Side effects vary greatly from one person to the next for both types of hormonal medications. Some have no symptoms at all. Most have very tolerable side effects. Some patients will need to change hormonal therapy medications to find the best balance of cancer benefit versus side effects. Several side effects that are rather common for both tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors are hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain, and vaginal dryness. Below, we list some of the other specific side effects for both drugs.

Tamoxifen Side Effects:

Increased risk of uterine (endometrial) cancer
Increased risk of developing blood clots
Slows normal bone loss in most women (a “good” side effect)
Cannot be taken during pregnancy because of risk of birth defects or fetal death
Can temporarily induce menopause in pre-menopausal women.

Aromatase Inhibitor Side Effects:

Can worsen bone loss (osteoporosis) in women
Muscle and joint aches and pains

Would an “Oncotype DX” assay help me?

Patients who have a small, estrogen receptor positive, HER2 receptor negative tumor, and no evidence of cancer in their lymph nodes may benefit from an Oncotype DX genomic assay. This cutting-edge test looks deeper into your cancer cells to better identify people who may also benefit from chemotherapy with ER+ breast cancers. The decision to undergo chemotherapy, in addition to hormonal therapy, is a complicated one. Your medical oncologist uses many factors to help decide if you will benefit from chemotherapy. An Oncotype DX analysis of a portion of your breast cancer tissue can be instrumental in this decision.

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