A Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
CHEMOTHERAPY & HORMONE THERAPY
Research suggests that-even when your lump is small-cancer cells may have spread beyond your breast. Most of these cells are killed naturally by your body's immune system. When the growth of cancer cells is large enough to be detected, it means that your immune system is having difficulty fighting the cancer and needs additional help.
Help in killing cancer cells comes from two other forms of therapy-chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Now, more than ever before, these treatments are chosen for your individual case: your age, whether you are still having periods, and how willing and able you are to cope with the possible side effects.
These therapies are used to:
- Prevent cancer from coming back in women who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer, especially if they are at high risk for spread of the disease to other organs of the body.
- Control the disease when cancer is found in the lungs, bones, liver, brain, or other sites.
- Control the disease in women whose cancers have come back one or more times.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs are designed to travel throughout you body and slow the growth of cancer cells or kill them. Most often the drugs are injected into the bloodstream through an intravenous (IV) needle that is inserted into a vein. Some are given as pills. Treatments can be as short as 4 months or as long as 2 years. The drugs you take will depend on the stage of the cancer at the time you are diagnosed,or if the cancer returns.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- Do I need chemotherapy? What drugs do you recommend?
- What are the benefits and risks of chemotherapy?
- How successful is this treatment for the type of cancer I have?
- How long will I need chemotherapy?
- Can I work while I'm having chemotherapy?
- How can I manage side effects like nausea?
|
|
Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles. You get one treatment and are given a few weeks to recover before your next treatment. The drugs most often are given in a doctor's office or in an outpatient department of a hospital or clinic.
Possible problems: The most common side effects are fatigue, nausea vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, weight change, mouth ulcers, and throat soreness. Some drugs cause short-term hair loss. Hair WILL grow back after or sometimes during treatment.
Before you start your therapy, you may want to have your hair cut short, buy a wig, hat, or scarves that you can wear while you are going through treatment. Also, finish dental work before starting your therapy. You cannot have dental work during chemotherapy because you are more prone to infections.
Managing Nausea
Feeling nauseous, or as though you have to vomit, is a common side effect of chemotherapy. The following suggestions may help:
- Ask for new drugs that reduce nausea and vomiting.
- Eat small meals often; do not eat 3 to 4 hours before your treatment.
- Eat Popsicles, gelatin desserts, cream of wheat, oatmeal, baked potatoes, and fruit juices mixed with water.
- Chew you food thoroughly and relax during meals.
- Learn stress reduction exercises.
Fighting Infections
Your body is less able to fight infections while you are on chemotherapy. The following steps can help you stay healthy:
- Stay away from large crowds and from people with colds, infections, and contagious diseases.
- Bathe daily, wash hands often, and follow good mouth care.
- Wear work gloves to protect hands against cuts and burns.
- If you are cut yourself, keep the wound clean and covered.
- Eat a healthy diet and get plenty of rest.
Pregnancy and Early Menopause
During chemotherapy, you may stop having periods or enter into an early menopause. You can still get pregnant, however, so talk to your doctor about birth control. The effect of chemotherapy on an unborn baby is unknown. After your treatment has stopped, your ability to get pregnant will vary, depending on the drugs you received. If you plan to become pregnant after treatment, talk with your doctor before starting treatment.
Hormone Therapy
Tests are routinely done on breast cancer cells o decide if the cancer is "sensitive" to natural hormones (estrogen or progesterone) in the body. If the tests find that the cancer is "positive", it means that cancer cells may grow when these hormones are present in a tumor. You may be given a hormone blocker (a drug called tamoxifen) that will prevent your body's natural hormones from reaching the cancer. These drugs are taken daily in pill form.
Possible problems: Hot flashes, nausea, vaginal spotting. Less common side effects include depression, vaginal itching, bleeding or discharge, loss of appetite, headache, and weight gain. Studies show that there is a slight increased risk of uterine cancer and blood clots for women on this drug. You should have an annual pelvic exam and notify your doctor if you are taking tamoxifen.
Reprinted with permission from the California Department of Health Services
|
