In the past, the treatment options for a particular disease were limited to only a few. With the advancements in medical science, we have scores of treatment options available for any disease.

The various treatment options available for breast cancer have increased in number too. Today there are many ways to combat and deal with breast cancer. They can be broadly classified into the following categories:

1. Surgery: Surgery has been the traditional mode of treatment for breast cancer. However, changes have taken place during recent times. The surgery now is more precise and is directed to the exact spot of the disease so that the damage to the unaffected area is minimized.

a. Lumpectomy: The cancerous lump is removed surgically without removing the surrounding lymph nodes.
b. Mastectomy: This is performed if the lump has become large or in case the cancer has spread to other areas. The affected breast is surgically removed.
c. Lymph Node Dissection: This is the surgical removal of lymph nodes. Usually done in case of invasive breast cancer, it is a procedure performed at the time of mastectomy or lumpectomy. During mastectomy, it is an extension of the breast incision (to the armpit area). If done during lumpectomy, a separate incision is performed in the armpit. A part or all of the lymph nodes are removed. Usually it also involves cutting the nerve carrying sensation to the area.

2. Radiation Therapy: Radiation is a highly targeted and effective way of treatment, which destroys the cancer cells. High levels of radiation are sent directly to the cancer cells. Radiation therapy undertaken after surgery can also kill those cancer cells that could not be treated by surgery. It can also be combined with chemotherapy, to relieve pain, or to shrink the tumor. It is short and relatively easy but side affects can also occur. The traditional radiation therapy is external in nature. Internal radiation therapy is also being experimented. In this process, radiation-producing substances are either implanted directly in to the tumor or injected through a tube.

3. Herceptin: Applicable only to women with HER2-positive breast cancer, it consists of an antibody, the primary role of which is blocking the HER2 protein in cancer cells. It is useful in cases where the breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Also known as immune treatment, it is approved by US FDA for women with metastatic disease.

4. Hormone Therapy: It is another effective treatment. It is useful for women having hormone receptive positive breast cancer. Aromatase inhibitors are more effective in women with post menopause and Tamoxifen in women with pre menopause hormone receptive positive breast cancer.

5. Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy, or use of chemicals to treat a disease, is a systematic therapy. Since the use of chemicals affects the whole body by going through the blood stream, it is very effective as it can act on the cells, which are rapidly dividing. A major drawback in this mode of treatment is that the drugs act not only on the cancer cells, they act on healthy cells as well leading to various side-effects like losing hair, nausea, skin diseases and so on.

6. Alternative Therapies: In addition to the above modes of treatment, there are many alternative therapies as well e.g. yoga, acupuncture etc. Since sufficient research is not available in respect of such therapies, it is difficult to come to any decisive conclusion.

Since the disease conditions differ from patient to patient, the ideal treatment for an individual would depend on various factors. The best mode of treatment can be formulated with due consultation between the patient and the doctor.

Multiple enzyme digestive formulas can be taken with meals to aid in digestion. This is especially helpful for women who are undergoing or have recently undergone any form of chemotherapy. The effects of the drugs used will often compromise the function of the digestive tract for some time and therefore will adversely affect the ability to digest foods and nutrients properly and completely. A multiple enzyme digestive formula will aid in the absorption of nutrients, which is important in maintaining health and proper functioning of the body.

Cadmium and magnesium are minerals that are important in helping to maintain and create bone mass. It is particularly important to take them after chemotherapy and radiation treatments. For reasons still unclear, women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy have a significant loss of bone during this period. Because it is difficult to digest, many women find to hard to take calcium during chemotherapy. On the other hand, if it is tolerable, taken during this time it may be beneficial. The chemotherapy drugs may affect the osteoblastic cells that are constantly replacing reabsorbed bone. This loss is small in relation to one’s total bone mass, perhaps 1 to 2 percent, but it is difficult to replace later.

There are several medications to help correct osteoporosis that results from breast cancer chemotherapy. One class of medications is known as bisphosphonates. A group of German doctors recently performed a clinical trial using bisphosphonates in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. The groups of women receiving the bisphosphonate clodrinate had a significantly lower systemic recurrence rate compared with the women who did not take the medication. Other breast cancer research groups are in the process of repeating the experiment to see if the results can be repeated and reproduced. If so, this would be a major breakthrough in that bisphosphonates have a very low side effect profile.

One of the richest food sources of calcium is seaweed. It can be eaten daily as a salad, vegetable, condiment, or seasoning. Other rich sources are dark green, leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, beet greens, cabbage, and broccoli. Additional sources of calcium include tofu, molasses, and almonds.

Essential fatty acids are critically important but are largely absent in American food sources, since they are damaged or destroyed during modern food processing. As a result, most Americans are chronically deficient. It is recommended to take both flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil, alternating every two weeks to facilitate replenishment of damaged and hydrogenated fat that has been used by all cells in the body in the absence of high quality fats. The dosage should be up to 1,000 mg of evening primrose oil or one tablespoon of flaxseed oil per day.

Until more research is done on diet and breast cancer, it is impossible to say how much soy and flaxseeds a woman should take following the consultation of her conventional Western treatments. One estimate is that 200 mg of soy equals 0.3 mg of pharmaceutical estrogen. Another estimate is that a half cup of soybeans and two soybean snacks are equivalent to about 200 mg of plant estrogen.

Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant that provides protection to all lipid-rich tissues in the body, including the skin; the mucous membrane of the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs; the soft tissue and linings of the digestive tract, kidney, and bladder; and breast tissue. Several studies have shown that an increase in dietary beta carotene may significantly decrease the risk of breast cancer. Carotene is abundant in carrots, but it is present in even higher concentrations in green leafy vegetables such as beet greens, spinach, and broccoli

Multiple enzyme digestive formulas can be taken with meals to aid in digestion. This is especially helpful for women who are undergoing or have recently undergone any form of chemotherapy. The effects of the drugs used will often compromise the function of the digestive tract for some time and therefore will adversely affect the ability to digest foods and nutrients properly and completely. A multiple enzyme digestive formula will aid in the absorption of nutrients, which is important in maintaining health and proper functioning of the body.

Cadmium and magnesium are minerals that are important in helping to maintain and create bone mass. It is particularly important to take them after chemotherapy and radiation treatments. For reasons still unclear, women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy have a significant loss of bone during this period. Because it is difficult to digest, many women find to hard to take calcium during chemotherapy. On the other hand, if it is tolerable, taken during this time it may be beneficial. The chemotherapy drugs may affect the osteoblastic cells that are constantly replacing reabsorbed bone. This loss is small in relation to one’s total bone mass, perhaps 1 to 2 percent, but it is difficult to replace later.

There are several medications to help correct osteoporosis that results from breast cancer chemotherapy. One class of medications is known as bisphosphonates. A group of German doctors recently performed a clinical trial using bisphosphonates in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. The groups of women receiving the bisphosphonate clodrinate had a significantly lower systemic recurrence rate compared with the women who did not take the medication. Other breast cancer research groups are in the process of repeating the experiment to see if the results can be repeated and reproduced. If so, this would be a major breakthrough in that bisphosphonates have a very low side effect profile.

One of the richest food sources of calcium is seaweed. It can be eaten daily as a salad, vegetable, condiment, or seasoning. Other rich sources are dark green, leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, beet greens, cabbage, and broccoli. Additional sources of calcium include tofu, molasses, and almonds.

Essential fatty acids are critically important but are largely absent in American food sources, since they are damaged or destroyed during modern food processing. As a result, most Americans are chronically deficient. It is recommended to take both flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil, alternating every two weeks to facilitate replenishment of damaged and hydrogenated fat that has been used by all cells in the body in the absence of high quality fats. The dosage should be up to 1,000 mg of evening primrose oil or one tablespoon of flaxseed oil per day.

Until more research is done on diet and breast cancer, it is impossible to say how much soy and flaxseeds a woman should take following the consultation of her conventional Western treatments. One estimate is that 200 mg of soy equals 0.3 mg of pharmaceutical estrogen. Another estimate is that a half cup of soybeans and two soybean snacks are equivalent to about 200 mg of plant estrogen.

Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant that provides protection to all lipid-rich tissues in the body, including the skin; the mucous membrane of the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs; the soft tissue and linings of the digestive tract, kidney, and bladder; and breast tissue. Several studies have shown that an increase in dietary beta carotene may significantly decrease the risk of breast cancer. Carotene is abundant in carrots, but it is present in even higher concentrations in green leafy vegetables such as beet greens, spinach, and broccoli.

In recent years, the incidence of breast cancer among women has increased. As a result of this, organizations that aim to raise breast cancer awareness have doubled their efforts to give women around the world the right information to help them prevent and deal with this disease. These organizations teach women to detect early signs of cancer and recognize the symptoms of the disease. It has been proven that early detection increases a woman?s chance of survival by as much as 96 percent.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms that women are told to watch out for include lumps, which are usually firm and painless. Other possible symptoms include swelling on the underarms and on the skin on the breasts which then develops an unusual appearance. Women are also asked to look out for veins that become prominent in the breast area. Other symptoms also include inverting of the nipples, rashes and changes in skin texture, depressions on the breast area and discharges other than breast milk.

Early Detection Plan

However, looking out for symptoms is usually not enough in detecting this disease, since there are instances in which patients are asymptomatic until the cancer reaches stage 3 or 4. To be able to prevent this, breast cancer organizations encourage women to come up with an early detection plan, which includes clinical breast examinations every three years for women aged 20 to 39, then every year thereafter. A monthly breast examination for women beginning at age 20 is also encouraged. Mammograms every two years for women in their 40s and yearly mammograms for women in their 50s are also being emphasized. Women are also told to keep a record of these exams and their appointments with their doctors. Additionally, women are urged to eat a low-fat diet, engage in regular exercise and avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.

The importance of early detection of breast cancer cannot be denied since it has been proven to increase a cancer patient?s survival rate by as much as 96 percent. Given this, it is then important for women to do what they can to prevent having to suffer unnecessarily from this disease. Having an early detection plan is an effective way of doing just that.

Being excessively overweight and eating foods rich in fats are both possible risk factors for developing breast cancer. Excessive exposure of the breasts to X-rays or other forms of radiation increases the likelihood that cancer cells will develop and there is some evidence linking a higher risk of breast cancer with long-term use of replacement oestrogens - the hormones given to woman to replace those lost during menopause - although the data is not conclusive.

The role of oral contraceptives in increasing breast cancer risk is even less clear. Some studies, in fact, seem to indicate that the combined pill may actually reduce a woman's chance of developing breast cancer. Contrary to popular belief, failure to breast-feed does not increase the risk of breast cancer; nor, on the other hand, is breast-feeding a protective factor. Risk factors such as obesity and high fat intake are avoidable, but there are also unavoidable risks including age (after 45, the risk of developing breast cancer increases); previous breast cancer; a history of breast cancer in your mother or sister; early onset and late ending of menstruation; and not having had children or having them after the age of 30.

Although you may fall into a high-risk group, remember the chances are that you will probably never get breast cancer. Whether you fall into the high-risk group or not, regular check-ups are your best defence. Doing something about it could save your life.

Any out-of-the-ordinary change in appearance, texture, feel or function of your breast should be considered a symptom, however tentative and you should report it to your doctor immediately. Do not panic, but do not waste any time either. Most changes, such as the appearance of lumps, turn out to be non-cancerous. However, you should be particularly alert to three types of changes: a lump or thickening of tissue inside the breast, a change in the shape of any part of the breast and any fluid that comes from the nipple.

Depending on the symptom, your doctor will examine you and order tests to determine whether the sign indicates the presence of breast cancer or, more likely, is caused by something else. Minor surgery in the form of a biopsy may be necessary, but most doctors will not perform one unless a preliminary examination indicates that cancer may be present. If there is any doubt in the mind of your doctor, he will probably refer you to a specialist who may check the interior of your breast without actually using a needle or knife. The most common way of doing this is by taking a mammogram (a breast X-ray). If the mammogram reveals a suspicious spot, then a biopsy will most likely be the next step. A biopsy can be performed in one of two ways: a hollow needle may be passed into the breast to extract fluid containing cells, or the specialist may use a knife to remove a small or large portion of tissue. The first method is called an aspiration biopsy, the second is known as a surgical biopsy. An aspiration biopsy will be done either in the specialist's surgery or in the outpatient's department of a local hospital with a local anaesthetic. A surgical biopsy is usually done in a hospital and will take more time.

The simplest way to remove a breast cancer surgically is by an operation that is often called a lumpectomy. In this procedure, which is usually performed in conjunction with radiotherapy, the surgeon removes the tumour and a small amount of tissue around it, but leaves the skin over it in place. The most extensive procedure is the radical mastectomy - the total removal of the breast along with underlying chest muscles and the axillary lymph nodes in the adjoining armpit. Today, radical mastectomies to remove breast cancer are done much less often than previously even though some surgeons still believe that they offer the best chance of total eradication of the disease

Generally speaking, a great deal has already been discussed on the issue of hormone replacement therapy. However, less is known specifically about this form of therapy for breast cancer survivors. One reason for this is that physicians are concerned about prescribing any of these drugs to their patients for fear that it might increase the risk of cancer recurrence. But along with this, blanket statements regarding hormone replacement therapy are quite inappropriate. Each individual woman should be given the chance to consider the risks and benefits of hormone replacement based on their personal situation. Every woman experiences menopause differently, with varying degrees of symptoms. Some women go through menopause with little difficulty and without increased risk of osteoporosis or heart disease. For others, menopause is traumatic and can introduce increased chances of illness into their lives.

Professional practice in medicine has endorsed allowing women to replace ovarian hormones with hormone replacement therapy once the ovaries begin to fail. Evidence and clinical experiences indicate that the benefits clearly outweigh the risk and expense of such therapy. However, evidence has yet to be found with regards to the risks to women surviving beast cancer. Most concerns are based on speculation and anecdotal experience alone.

For most women, the question lies in the correlation between hormone replacement therapy and an increased risk of breast cancer. Does hormone therapy contribute to breast cancer? Before starting such treatment, physicians often require their patients to get a baseline screening mammogram and because women receiving treatment are under a physician's surveillance, they are more likely to get annual screenings. Although there is no difference between women who are not on hormone replacement and those who are on it for less than ten years, once the duration exceeds the ten-year benchmark, there is a slight increase in breast cancer incidence, but the numbers are insignificant. There also appears to be anecdotal data that women with breast lobular neoplasm may have an increased risk for recurrence with hormone replacement therapy. However, with or without this form of therapy, these women are still at an increased risk of recurrence.

On the other end of the spectrum, how does one know that one is cured of breast cancer? Unfortunately, there is no absolute way to know. Statistical probabilities can be given based on the cancer's characteristics. If one is destined to relapse, it will usually happen in the first five years after the diagnosis. Regrettably, late recurrences do rarely occur. Breast cancer patients are advised that once treatment is complete, they should consider themselves cured, move on.

Medical research shows that low dose hormone replacement therapy for less than 10 years does not significantly contribute to the development of breast cancer in the general population, but the question is, does this apply to the population of women cured of breast cancer? Sadly, there are no studies to confirm this and no evidence has yet surfaced from past studies to answer this. The safest way to think about it though, is that for women with a high probability of cure, the benefits of this treatment far outweigh the risks.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death, second only to lung cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Fortunately, there are measures you can take to help reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.

Factors that can affect your risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer are called risk factors. Risk factors can be broken down into two categories, those that can be controlled and those that cannot be controlled.

RISK FACTORS THAT CANNOT BE CONTROLLED

The risk factors you have no control over are gender, hormones, age, genetic makeup and certain environmental exposures.

GENDER: Women are much more inclined to develop breast cancer than men. This is primarily due to the estrogen and progesterone in a woman’s body. These hormones stimulate cell growth in the breast, both normal and abnormal.

HORMONES: Estrogen, a hormone that is produced by the ovaries, increases a woman’s risk for developing breast cancer. A woman's exposure to estrogen can increase her risk by:

*using oral contraceptives.

*using Hormone Replacement Therapy.

*never being pregnant or having first child after the age of 35.

*early onset of menstruation and late onset of menopause.

AGE: Aging is one of the biggest risk factors for breast cancer. After a woman passes the age of 50, the likelihood of developing breast cancer increases significantly.

GENETIC MAKEUP: There is a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer for women who have already had breast cancer and for women who have had many family members diagnosed with cancer (regardless of the type).

ENVIRONMENT: The air we breathe and the water we drink are full of toxins (poisons) that were not present 100 years ago. Many of these toxins are known to increase the risk of or directly cause cancer.

RISK FACTORS THAT CAN BE CONTROLLED

Lifestyle changes like altering your diet, starting an exercise program and losing weight, are the easiest factors to control. Following the tips below may help you decrease your risk of breast cancer:

LOSE WEIGHT: There is a clear link between excess weight and breast cancer, especially if the weight gain is after menopause. The extra fatty tissue is a source of circulating estrogen in your body. As stated above in the GENDER risk factor, estrogen stimulates cell growth in the breast.

EAT THE RIGHT FOODS: A low-fat high-fiber diet can help reduce your risk of breast cancer and other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Try to eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day.

There are also some specific foods and supplements that can be very effective in your efforts to reduce the risk of breast cancer:

*FLAXSEED: Flaxseed is a supplement comprised of phytoestrogens, naturally occurring compounds that decrease estrogen production in your body, hindering the growth of breast cancer.

*OLIVE OIL: Olive oil contains oleic acid that is effective in destroying a protein that causes the growth of breast cancer tumors.

*FISH OIL: A diet rich in fish oils can be effective in preventing the development of breast tumors. Fish oil supplements are just as effective as eating the fish. Fish oil, like flaxseed, contains healthy OMEGA-3 fatty acids.

*CARROTS: Consuming foods rich in beta-carotene, such as carrots, protects the body from damaging molecules called free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to cells through oxidation that can lead to a variety of chronic illnesses such as cancer.

*FOLIC ACID: (folate) is highly effective in preventing breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal women. Foods high in folic acid are green, leafy vegetables, whole wheat bread, oranges, poultry, and fortified cereals.

LIMIT ALCOHOL: The more alcohol a woman drinks, the higher the risk of developing breast cancer. If you must drink, limit your intake to one small drink a day.

EXERCISE: Regular exercise provides a multitude of health benefits for your body including protection against many chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Exercising at least 30 minutes every day can decrease your hormone levels, lowering your risk of breast cancer.

There is nothing you can do that will guarantee a cancer-free life. All women are at risk for getting breast cancer. However, lifestyle changes, eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, and regular breast cancer screening can significantly reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.