Treatment

In the past two decades, great improvements have been made in the treatment of breast cancer. As a result, the number of breast cancer survivors continues to increase. Although each person’s treatment will be slightly different, it generally involves some combination of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and/or targeted therapy (such as Herceptin). Deciding on a particular treatment is as much a personal matter for men and women as it is a medical one. In this section of About Breast Cancer, we describe each treatment option and its risks and benefits.

Types of Treatment	Treatment Options: Breast Cancer Types
Surgery Radiation Chemotherapy Chemotherapy drugs Tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, and other hormonal therapies Targeted therapies Trastuzumab (Herceptin) Emerging therapies	Treatment Options for Different Types of Breast Cancer Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) Early breast cancer (stage I and II) Locally advanced / inflammatory breast cancer (stage III) Metastatic breast cancer (stage IV) Male breast cancer Breast cancer during pregnancy
Other Issues Related to Care
Factors that affect treatment options Subtypes of breast cancer Things to consider before beginning treatment Management of pain related to the treatment of breast cancer Management of pain related to metastatic breast cancer Young women and breast cancer Clinical trials The return of cancer after treatment (recurrence) Breast reconstruction Getting good care Insurance and other financial issues References

Introduction