According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer found in women. Even though breast cancer is among the top 10 causes of death in women, more than 1.7 million women who have had breast cancer are still alive in the United States. While surgery is a common treatment, there are other alternative treatment options for patients.
Chemotherapy
Dorland's Medical Dictionary defines chemotherapy as a treatment of disease by chemical agents or medical drugs. Chemotherapy drugs can be administered either in pill form or through intravenous (IV) injection, or sometimes in a combination together. Even though there are some negative side effects associated with chemotherapy, such as hair loss, it is a very effective treatment. The Breast Cancer website reports that many women feel it is an important "insurance policy" against cancer recurrence.
Hormonal Therapy
Breast cancer needs certain hormones to grow. According to the CDC, hormonal treatment is used to block cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow. However, for hormonal therapy to be an effective treatment, the type of cancer must be hormone receptor positive. According to Breast Cancer, many women find the side effects of hormonal therapy to resemble those of menopause.
Biological Therapy
This form of treatment works with the body's immune system to help fight cancer or to control side effects from other cancer treatments. Drugs are administered in pill or IV form, or as a combination of both. Although similar to chemotherapy, biological therapy does not deal with the cancer cells directly, but strengthens the body's natural immune system to fight cancer cells.
Radiation Therapy
According to Dorland's Medical Dictionary, radiation treatment occurs when high energy rays are aimed at the part of the body where cancer cells are located, killing or reducing the number of cancer cells. Breast Cancer reports that radiation therapy can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence by about 70 percent.
Complementary and Holistic Therapies
These types of therapies are thought to work in combination with medicinal treatments to balance a person's physical, mental and emotional well-being. Types of therapies include acupuncture, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, support groups and yoga. Women have reported through the Breast Cancer site that these therapies relieve symptoms, ease treatment side effects and improve quality of life.
Tags: cancer cells, side effects, Breast Cancer, breast cancer, cancer recurrence, Dorland Medical, Dorland Medical Dictionary
