There are several lines of defense when it comes to treating breast cancer. Chemotherapy is one of them. As defined by BreastCancer.org, chemotherapy is a treatment where medicine is used to weaken and ultimately destroy cancer cells in the body. This not only includes cells at the original cancer site, but any other cells that may have spread throughout the body. Because chemotherapy (called chemo for short) is a systemic therapy, it permeates the bloodstream and affects the whole body.
When and How Much
Cancer cells, which are abnormal, grow and divide at a quick rate. So when cancer is found, your doctor or medical team will start tailoring your chemo treatments to your needs. This is called a chemotherapy regimen which alludes to what types of medications or combination of medications that will be used for each patient case. Also, doctors must strategically decide your dosage and length of time your chemo drugs will be administered. Chemo can be used from stage 0 to stage IV of breast cancer. But since each individual’s health status is different, the medical team involved will more than likely keep the following in mind:
For early-stage breast cancer (stage 0 to some stage III):
Chemotherapy is almost always recommended if there is cancer in the lymph nodes, regardless of tumor size or menopausal status.
Doctors recommend more aggressive treatments for premenopausal women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Breast cancer in premenopausal women tends to be more aggressive, so chemotherapy is often part of the treatment plan.
Chemotherapy may be recommended for some women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer if the cancer is hormone-receptor-negative and HER2-positive. Both of these characteristics are associated with cancer that is more aggressive.
The Oncotype DX test may help some women diagnosed with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer and their doctors decide if the cancer is likely to come back and if chemotherapy would offer benefits.
Chemotherapy usually is NOT recommended for non-invasive, in situ cancers such as DCIS because they have very little risk of spreading to other parts of the body.
For advance-stage/metastatic breast cancer (some stage III to stage IV):
If you've had chemotherapy before, your doctor may recommend using only one chemotherapy medicine at a time to treat advanced-stage disease. This way you get benefits with fewer possible side effects.
In general, most chemotherapy medicines can be used until side effects become a problem or the medicine stops being effective.
Some chemotherapy medicines seem to work better against cancer tumors when used in combination. So your doctor may recommend a combination of medicines for you because research has shown that combining treatments has contributed to a better overall prognosis for some advanced-stage cancers.
If you've had chemotherapy before and the cancer came back or didn't respond, your doctor will likely recommend a different combination of medicines. There are many chemotherapy medicines and if one medicine or combination of medicines doesn't seem to be working, there is almost always something else you can try.
Things to Remember
With advanced breast cancer, doctors usually test to see how a patient’s body responds to the chemo. Of course, this means more tests will be given, such as, blood cell counts, blood tumor marker test, chest X-rays and CAT scans and the like.
It is easy to think of chemo as the enemy, but it really should be thought of as an ally. It is used to fight the enemy. Any cancer diagnosis is not fun but by gaining a clear understanding of what treatment does and how it relates to you gives one a fighting edge and a fighting chance.
Best in Health!
Resource: BreastCancer.org
Dita Faulkner is a freelance writer who loves to inform and motivate women of all ages!