How Are Breast Cancer Tumors Treated?

Breast tumors are treated in many different ways. If they are benign, doctors may leave in place to see if they dissolve or disappear on their own. If a biopsy shows cell abnormalities or cancer, the doctor must remove the tumors surgically or use radiation/chemotherapy to control their growth or shrink them. Lumpectomies are used when the doctor chooses to just remove the lump or tumor. Mastectomy is the term given when the entire breast is removed. If the entire breast is removed, the doctor may also choose to remove nearby lymph nodes to make sure the cancer cells have not spread outside of the breast area.

What Is Normally Included in an Oncology Treatment Plan?

Oncology involves treating cancer. An oncology treatment plan can include nutritional counseling, surgery to remove the breast tumor and lymph nodes, medications that strengthen the immune system, the use of chemotherapy or radiation to destroy abnormal or cancerous cells, and counseling to help the patient work through the emotional trauma of the diagnosis. An oncology treatment plan will differ from patient to patient depending on their diagnosis. Patients who do not have an advanced form of cancer may not require a vigorous treatment plan. The doctor will create the patient’s treatment plan based on their individual needs.

What Surgical Procedures Are Used in the Treatment of Breast Cancer?

Lumpectomies are common when the tumor is extremely small and the cancer is confined to the breast. This eliminates the loss of the breast and offers the patient a much shorter recovery time. For patients who have a much larger tumor or mass in or near the breast, a mastectomy may be needed to ensure all of the cancer is removed. With this type of a procedure, the doctor may choose to remove lymph nodes in areas close to the tumor such as those located under the arm and in the neck. When a mastectomy is performed, the doctor may or may not recommend using breast implants to replace the lost tissue.