How is breast cancer treated?

Surgery is the primary breast cancer treatment, but healthcare providers may use other treatments. Breast cancer surgeries include:

• Mastectomy.
• Lumpectomy.
• Breast reconstruction.

Providers may combine surgery with one or more of the following treatments:

• Chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy, including intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT).
• Immunotherapy.
• Hormone therapy, including selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) therapy.
• Targeted therapy.

What are treatment side effects?

Common chemotherapy and radiation therapy side effects include fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Targeted therapy, immunotherapy and hormone therapy have similar side effects, including gastrointestinal issues like constipation and diarrhea.

People react differently to breast cancer treatments. If you’re receiving treatment, ask your healthcare provider how treatment may affect you, including how it may affect your daily life. Also, ask your provider about palliative care. Palliative care helps manage breast cancer symptoms and treatment side effects so you’re as comfortable as possible as you go through treatment.

Complications of breast cancer surgery

All surgeries have potential complications, and breast cancer surgery is no exception. As you’re considering your options, it’s important to remember that surgery removes potentially life-threatening cancer. In general, the risks of breast cancer outweigh the complications.

If you’re having breast cancer surgery, ask your healthcare provider to explain potential complications, which may include:

• Infection at the surgical site.
• Blood clots that can happen after surgery.
• Nerve damage.
• Lymphedema.