The effectiveness of chemotherapy in treating breast cancer
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that is caused in women these days. There are millions of women who are diagnosed with the problem every year. The survival rates are high when it is detected at an early stage.
Chemo treatment for breast cancer is done with the best medications and methods that will help in killing the cancer cells at a faster rate. This is a treatment that makes use of the anti-cancer medications for destroying the cancer cells. It interferes with the cancer cells and it’s ability to divide and then grow. Breast cancer chemotherapy helps in preventing cancer that usually comes back once surgery and radiation is done.
The doctor will advise in the right way about when to begin with chemotherapy, the medications to use, and the schedule for taking the same. It is also your responsibility to understand the side effects that relate to such medication.
Chemotherapy medications that are used in treating the early breast cancer mainly include Anthracyclines, which includes epirubicin and doxorubicin. Apart from this, taxanes such as paclitaxel and docetaxel are also given.
Chemotherapy for breast cancer could be done before the surgery, after the surgery, or as part of secondary breast cancer. Unless and until you are having chemotherapy in the form of tablets, you would be given treatment on an out-patient basis or in a daycare, by which you can return home the same day the treatment has been provided. A few types of the chemotherapy treatment will require staying in the hospital overnight. Getting the test results for usually takes a long time and hence, people usually wait at the hospital at least for a day.
This is usually a series of treatments and breaks would be given in between every treatment. When a single session is done, this itself will take time for the body to recover. The treatment would take place on a weekly basis or once is two to three weeks. The medications also could be single or a combination of various medications. Depending on the problem, the treatment will be tailored and effective treatment will be provided by your doctor.
