Breast Cancer Treatments in Vijayawada
The intention of breast cancer treatment in Vijayawada is to achieve cure, this is best achieved in early stage disease. Treatment is also intended to prevent the tumour from coming back in the breast or elsewhere in the body. Breast cancer treatment may vary for every individual patient. The treatment selection mainly depends on the tumour biology, subtype, spread to other parts of the body, stage of disease and the general condition of the patient. We are offering breast cancer treatment from our location to people who are living in and around Guntur, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Gudivada, Tadepalligudem, Tanuku, Bhimavaram, Palakollu and Narsapuram.
Detection of cancer at an early stage, reduces the need for extensive treatments, results in improved outcomes more often and the rest of the body also is less likely to undergo unnecessary disruption. We provide comprehensive and compassionate care for patients who stay in and around Rajahmundry, Narasapuram, Bhimavaram, Tadepalligudem, Eluru, Guntur and Gudivada
The treatment modalities available for breast cancer are surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine therapy. Dr. Amulya Mullapudi is trained to perform all these modalities although not all patients with breast cancer will require all these treatments.
These modalities may be used in combination, which is unique to each patient.
- 1) Removal of breast tumour through surgery.
- 2) To reduce the risk of recurrence in the breast or the surrounding areas, radiation therapy is recommended, where applicable.
- 3) Chemotherapy, endocrine therapy or targeted therapies are used to wipe out cancer cells and prevent further spread.
Breast Cancer Surgery
Surgery is performed to remove the cancer, to prevent further spread wherever feasible. The choice of removing the cancerous lump alone, is offered by best breast cancer hospitals in Vijayawada only in cases where oncological safety is uncompromised.
Removal of the lump only is termed lumpectomy or breast conservation surgery as the rest of the normal breast is preserved in this type.Removal of the lump only is termed lumpectomy or breast conservation surgery as the rest of the normal breast is preserved in this type.
Mastectomy is removal of the whole breast on the affected side.
Lymph nodes in the underarm are checked for cancer, this procedure is known as Sentinel lymph node biopsy. If the axillary lymph nodes are proven to have tumour, then all the nodes on that side are removed during surgery - Axillary clearance
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is advised by medical oncologists and breast cancer specialist in Vijayawada with the aim is to kill cancer cells. The decision to recommend chemotherapy is not affected by the type of surgery done.
The medications used for chemotherapy are decided based on the tumour characteristics, biology (IHC - Estrogen Receptor/ Progesterone Receptor/ HER2neu status), and the stage of the disease.
It is administered as slow intravenous injections, usually at three week intervals, between 4 to 8 cycles. Some patients may be prescribed oral medications along with injections.
Chemotherapeutic drugs have some side effects like generalised weakness, hair fall etc.. as the drugs act on all normal and cancer cells. Most of these effects are reversed with time, after completion of chemotherapy.
Targeted therapy is a treatment that directly targets cancer cells that are vulnerable at particular sites. It can be useful in patients who have certain subtypes of breast cancer such as HER2neu positive cancers. These subtypes can be determined based on the tumours immuno-histochemistry (IHC) profile. Immunotherapy is also included under targeted treatments.
Radiation therapy
Radiation oncologists are specialists who prescribe and oversee radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is usually given by focusing x-rays specifically to the operated or affected breast. This therapy may range from 2 to 3 weeks, five days a week as an outpatient procedure.
Radiation is indicated for all patients undergoing breast conservation surgery/lumpectomy. Lumpectomy is always offered in combination with radiation therapy, without which treatment remains incomplete. For other patients who undergo mastectomy, radiotherapy advised is based on their respective surgical pathology reports. Best breast cancer hospitals in Vijayawada offer radiation therapy to the patients.
Endocrine therapy
This form of therapy is recommended for patients, who have a breast tumour growing with the help of hormones, which is determined by ER/PR status on IHC. The medication cuts off the hormone supply to the cancer cells, which is intended to stop their multiplication. The most common drugs prescribed for endocrine therapy are Tamoxifen or Letrozole, in tablet form given for 5 to 10 years, depending on the current guidelines.