Treating Your Breast Cancer

When you receive a breast cancer diagnosis, your first thought might be to how you will treat it and what that will be like. You may worry about surgery and drug therapies such as chemotherapy or radiation. You might have questions about side effects and duration of treatment. The best place to get answers to these questions is at a cancer treatment center. Treatment for breast cancer in Mobile, AL comes in many forms and has advanced over the years to give patients the best chance at a longer, healthier life.

 Diagnosing Breast Cancer

 Oftentimes breast cancer diagnosis begins with an exam. This could be your monthly self-exam at home, or a routine exam at your doctor’s office. If you have swelling in part or all of your breast, skin irritation or dimpling, breast pain or nipple pain, you should seek medical attention.

 Other warning signs of breast cancer include redness or thickening of the nipple or breast skin. You may also experience discharge that is not breast milk or a lump in your underarm area. To diagnose breast cancer your doctor will want to perform certain exams and tests such as a mammogram, biopsy or blood work.

 After the cancer is discovered your doctor will refer you to an oncologist. You want to work with a medical team that specializes in the treatment of breast cancer. More than 3000,000 new cases of breast cancer were discovered in 2016, so it is vital to get treatment as early as possible. You should seek out the best treatment for breast cancer in Mobile, AL.

 Breast Cancer Treatment

 Your treatment for breast cancer in Mobile, AL will depend on various factors. Your cancer stage and the size of your tumors may necessitate chemotherapy or hormone therapy to shrink tumors. Most women will need to have some type of surgery to remove cancer such as a lumpectomy or mastectomy.

 You may also need targeted therapies after your surgery to make sure your breast cancer is completely gone. The type of drug therapy you receive will depend upon your tumor size, lymph node status, tumor characteristics and if you have gone through menopause or not.

There are also treatment options available for metastatic breast cancer. This type of breast cancer can’t be cured but radiation and chemotherapy can be used to shrink tumors and slow the growth of the cancer, easing symptoms and prolonging your life.

 Compassionate Care

 The most important factor when selecting your medical team is to find doctors and nurses that have your best interest at heart. You want to work with a care team that helps you have the best physical, mental and spiritual well-being while you battle the cancer. From diagnosis through surgery, from chemotherapy to follow-up care, you want to find a team that treats you with honesty and compassion. Even after you reach remission, you will need to see your care team regularly for months or even years, so you want to find someone you are comfortable with and you trust to help you make the best decisions.