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Related information

• Early-stage breast cancer treatment fact sheet
• How to Talk to Your Doctor or Nurse (PDF, 193 KB)
• How to Get a Second Opinion (PDF, 262)

Breast cancer treatment

• Staging
• Types of treatment
• Help and support
• More information on breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer treatment often involves more than one approach. The treatment plan your doctor suggests will be based on several factors, such as:

• The stage of the cancer
• The size of the tumor compared to the size of your breast
• The type of breast cancer you have
• Whether you have reached menopause
• Your general health

Don't be afraid to ask your doctor lots of questions or to meet with other doctors. The better you understand your options, the easier it will be for you to make an informed choice about treatment.

Staging

After breast cancer is found, your doctor will need to learn the extent of the cancer. This is called staging. The stage is based on:

• The tumor size
• Whether the cancer has spread to nearby tissue
• Whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body

Many tests may be used to learn this information. A woman's treatment options depend greatly on the cancer stage. Often, the stage is not known until after a woman has surgery to remove the cancer from her breast.

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Types of treatment

Women with breast cancer may have one or more of these treatments:

• Surgery – Surgery is the most common treatment for breast cancer. The goal of surgery is to remove all the cancer from the breast. Many women are able to have surgery that removes the cancer but leaves the breast intact. Other women may have their entire breast removed. Plastic surgery to rebuild the breast, called breast reconstruction, often can be done at the same time as breast cancer surgery. Women who are thinking about breast reconstruction should talk to a plastic surgeon before having cancer surgery.
• Radiation therapy – High-energy x-rays or other types of radiation are used to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing.
• Chemotherapy – Drugs are used to kill cancer cells or keep them from dividing.
• Hormone therapy – The hormone estrogen causes some types of breast cancer to grow. Hormone therapy reduces the body’s ability to make hormones or stops their action to keep cancer from growing.
• Targeted therapy – Drugs or other substances are used to find and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells.

For many women, breast cancer does not come back after treatment. For some women, breast cancer comes back after a period of time when it could not be detected. This is called recurrent breast cancer. It may return close to the location of the original tumor or in another part of the body. Treatment options depend on where the cancer returned.

New cancer treatments are being studied. Some women with breast cancer may be able to benefit from new cancer treatments by taking part in clinical trials. Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment. Learn about clinical trials for women with breast cancer.

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Help and support

If you just found out you have breast cancer, you are likely to feel afraid and overwhelmed. You might be worried about your family, your job, and the unknown. The waiting between doctor visits might seem endless. Or things might be happening so quickly that you feel like you have no control. Even though you have a lot to think about and big decisions to make, you may feel stuck, unsure how to take the next step.

Take heart — information about breast cancer, its treatment, and breast reconstruction is plentiful. Turn to resources you can trust. To learn more about breast cancer and its treatment, you also can speak with a National Cancer Institute Information Specialist via a live online text chat or by calling 800-4-CANCER (800-422-6237).

Whatever you do, make sure to take good care of yourself before, during, and after treatment. Eat healthy foods and stay as active as you can. Also, don't take on breast cancer alone. Turn to loved ones and friends for support. Think about joining a support group for women with breast cancer. Women in treatment and breast cancer survivors can be an amazing source of strength during and after your treatment.

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More information on breast cancer treatment

Read more from womenshealth.gov

• Breast Cancer Fact Sheet — This fact sheet provides information on why women should be concerned about breast cancer and gives resources for more information.
  http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/breast-cancer.cfm
• Early-stage Breast Cancer Treatment Fact Sheet — This fact sheet addresses questions that women commonly have about breast cancer and its treatment. It explains the two surgical options used to treat early-stage breast cancer and lists resources for patients seeking more information.
  http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/early-stage-breast-cancer.cfm

Explore other publications and websites

• Breast Cancer Prostheses and Hair Loss Accessories List (Copyright © American Cancer Society) — This site lists producers of breast prostheses and accessory items.
  http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_6x_breast_prostheses_list_5.asp
• Breast Cancer: A Resource Guide for Minority Women — This publication lists organizations, documents, journal articles, and other resources to help minority women affected by breast cancer.
  http://www.omhrc.gov/assets/pdf/checked/bcrg2005.pdf
• Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy (Copyright © American Cancer Society) — This publication gives women the facts about breast reconstruction. Please remember that the decision to have breast reconstruction is a matter of individual choice. No one source of information can provide every fact or give all the answers. Therefore, you and those close to you should also discuss any questions and concerns with your doctor.
  http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6X_Breast_Reconstruction_After_Mastectomy_5.asp
• BreastCancer101: Basics for the Newly Diagnosed 10 Year Planner (Copyright © CANCER101) — If you have breast cancer or know someone who does, this organizer will help empower a person to take control of a breast cancer diagnosis.
  http://www.cancer101.org/launch2007/inside_planner.cfm?CFID=22785352&CFTOKEN=60271744
• Cancer Clinical Trials — This fact sheet covers types of clinical trials, who sponsors them, how they are conducted, how participants are protected, and who pays for the patient care costs associated with a clinical trial.
  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Information/clinical-trials#top
• Coping With Cancer: Tools to Help You Live (Copyright © CancerCare) — This booklet discusses living with cancer, learning about your diagnosis and treatment, finding financial help, and coping with the emotional aspects of cancer.
  http://www.cancercare.org/pdf/booklets/ccc_coping.pdf
• Financial Assistance and Other Resources for People With Cancer — This Internet site provides links to financial information, legal information, and insurance information for people who have cancer.
  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/financial-legal
• I Still Buy Green Bananas: Living With Hope, Living With Advanced Breast Cancer (Copyright © Breast Cancer Network of Strength) — The booklet is for women with advanced breast cancer. It discusses the common fears and emotions that women with breast cancer face and gives pointers to try to help women cope with cancer.
  http://digital.turn-page.com/issue/2065?RID=143423
• Lumpectomy (Copyright © Breastcancer.org) — Lumpectomy is surgery in which the tumor and some surrounding tissue are removed. This publication explains how the surgery is done and the risks and gives questions for you to ask your doctor.
  http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/lumpectomy/
• Mastectomy (Copyright © Breastcancer.org) — This publication explains what a mastectomy is, why you would need one, and the different types of mastectomies.
  http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/mastectomy/index.jsp
• Mastectomy vs. Lumpectomy (Copyright © Breastcancer.org) — This publication discusses the difference between mastectomy and lumpectomy, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of both procedures.
  http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/mast_vs_lump.jsp
• What Happens After Treatment for Breast Cancer? (Copyright © American Cancer Society) — This publication provides guidance on life after breast cancer treatment. It discusses physical symptoms you may experience after treatment, such as lymphedema, and other life issues you may encounter, including adjustments of body image, quality of life, and sexuality.
  http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-after-follow-up
• What You Need to Know About Breast Cancer — This information summary is designed for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and who are about to undergo treatment.
  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/breast

Connect with other organizations

• American Cancer Society
  http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp
• Breast Cancer Action
  http://www.bcaction.org/
• Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, NCCDPHP, CDC
  http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/
• National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, CDC
  http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/
• National Cancer Institute, NIH
  http://www.cancer.gov/
• Sister Study, NIEHS, NIH, HHS
  http://www.sisterstudy.org/English/index1.htm
• Susan G. Komen for the Cure
  http://ww5.komen.org/
• Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization
  http://www.y-me.org/

Content last updated November 17, 2010.

Resources last updated November 17, 2010.

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