Revolutionary Breakthroughs in Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer is a commonly affecting cancer in women all over the world. Due to the lack of awareness about the symptoms, cancer can spread to the breast tissues, which leads to the removal of breast (myomectomy) for treating the patients. Advanced treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, target therapy, and hormonal therapy can help to treat breast cancer without removing the organ (breast) of the patient. In this article, we are going to discuss the recent advancements and revolutions in breast cancer treatment.

What is Breast cancer?

Breast cancer is known as the abnormal growth of the cells in the breast, a glandular organ located in the chest of the human. Based on the origin, they can divided into two types:

• Invasive ductal carcinoma

• Invasive lobular carcinoma

Most of them begin in the ducts or lobules. It can also spread outside the breast through blood and lymph vessels. When the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is referred to as metastatic breast cancer.

Symptoms Of Breast Cancer

• Swelling, redness, or other visible skin changes or differences in either one or both breasts

• Changed or increased size in the shape of the breast

• Change of appearance of one or both nipples

• Discharge from nipples other than breast milk

• Pain in any part of the breast

• Lumps or nodes felt on the breast

Revolutionizing Breast Cancer Care: Unprecedented Treatment Breakthroughs

1. Chemotherapy

It is a type of breast cancer treatment that uses medications to target and kill the cancer cells in the breast. Based on the stage of breast cancer, patients are either treated with adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy (after surgery) is often given after primary treatment (surgery) to reduce the recurrence of cancer. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (before surgery) is given to patients before surgery to reduce the tumor size and improve the survival rate. Advanced stages of localized breast cancer (stage 3 or 4) are treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Gemcitabine is an anticancer medicine that is used to treat breast cancer along with palbociclib.  

2. Radiation therapy

It is the use of high energy radiation to kill or remove the cancer cells. It is an important treatment in the multimodal management of breast cancer, which is effective in treating the early stage and locally advanced breast cancers, as well as metastatic cases. Radiation therapy can be given after the lumpectomy surgery (breast conserving surgery) to reduce the recurrence of cancer in the affected palce.

3. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of breast cancer treatment that uses medications to boost the body's immune system to fight against the breast cancer cells. Pembrolizumab and atezolizumab have shown a promising result in treating breast cancer by targeting the PD-L1 pathway.

4. Targeted Therapies

Target therapies have helped to understand the molecular and genetic identity of breast cancer, which leads to the development of personalized treatment for breast cancer patients. Medications like PARP Inhibitors and CDK4/6 inhibitors, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab specifically target HER2-positive breast cancers in the patients.

5. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) are genetically engineered antibodies (mAbs) that use the capability of monoclonal antibodies by combining them with cytotoxic agents. ADCs are a ray of hope for breast cancer patients who are in the advanced metastatic stage.

6. Hormone therapy

It is a type of treatment that stops the growth of breast cancers that use estrogen hormones to grow. Alpelisib (Piqray) is a type of hormone therapy medication that helps to treat breast cancer that is HR-positive and HER2-negative.

Conclusion 

Breast cancer patients need an advanced and personalized treatment that is effective in treating cancer without the removal of the organ (breast) or destruction of the normal cells. Advancements in breast treatments can help to increase the survival rate and reduce the side effects of patients who are in an advanced stage of breast cancer. Further research and development are needed to create a breakthrough and improve the existing treatment for breast cancer.