How do you know how bad the cancer is?
Following a breast cancer diagnosis, the doctor will need to determine the stage of cancer. The stage helps choose the best treatment option and helps determine how well cancer will respond to treatment, including the prognosis (the likely course of the condition).
Various tests used to determine cancer stage include bone scan, computerized tomography (CT) scan and positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
The doctor will explain the detail of these procedures to you or your affected friend or family member.
There are five cancer stages, from 0 to IV. O indicates that the cancer is non-aggressive and exists only in the milk ducts of the breast. The final stage is Stage IV.
The tumor will have spread to other parts of the body (metastasis). Stage IV is commonly referred to as metastatic breast cancer.
How is breast cancer treated?
There are many medical techniques for treating breast cancer, depending on the type and how bad. It is common to use a combination of treatments.
These medical procedures include surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological or immune system therapy, and radiation therapy.
Breast cancer treatment involves various specialists that work together like surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists.
Your doctor will explain the detail of each of the medical procedure that will be suitable for you or your affected friend or family member.