Several treatment options are available for patients who have been diagnosed with stage III breast cancer, as the disease has not yet spread beyond the breast and lymph nodes. According to the American Cancer Society, stage III breast cancer patients have a 57 percent survival rate.
Stage III Subsections
Stage III breast cancer is divided into three groups: IIIA, IIIB and IIIC. These stages are a classification of the appearance and size of the tumor, as well as the location of and degree to which the surrounding tissue has been affected.
Surgery
Two surgical options may be recommended at stage III. During a lumpectomy, the surgeon removes the tumor and tissue in the vicinity of the breast. During a mastectomy, the entire breast and lymph nodes are removed. Radiation therapy is prescribed following both surgeries to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Chemotherapy
Medications that destroy cancer cells may be prescribed before surgery to shrink the tumor prior to its removal. These medications are also administered following surgery to kill off any remaining cancer cells.
Hormone Therapy
In certain cases of stage III breast cancer, medications may be prescribed that will impact the availability of specific hormones that the tumors need to grow. Hormone therapy may be used before and/or after surgery.
Biological Therapy
Biological therapy uses the body's immune system to assist in the destruction of cancer cells. For stage III breast cancer patients, specific medications may be prescribed that will inhibit the protein HER2 from increasing the rate of production of cancer cells.
Tags: breast cancer, cancer cells, stage breast cancer, stage breast, breast cancer patients, breast lymph
