Breast cancer treatment is basically divided into two.
Local treatments are treatments directed at where the cancer begins, that is, treatments directed at the breast tissue and lymph nodes.
Surgical treatments
Radiation therapy
Systemic treatments are treatments that concern the whole body
Chemotherapy
Hormone therapy
Targeted therapy
Immunotherapy
SURGICAL TREATMENTS
Surgical treatments are performed for many reasons, for example:
-
Removal of cancerous tissue in the breast
-
If there is spread to the lymph nodes, removal of these lymph nodes
-
For reconstruction purposes after breast cancer surgery
-
To reduce the patient's complaints in advanced stage cancers
There are generally two types of breast cancer surgery. Breast-conserving surgeryand mastectomy. Which technique will be suitable for removing cancerous tissue is decided according to the current state of the disease, that is, its stage, cell type and the patient's breast structure. Whether a portion of the breast tissue will be removed or all of the breast tissue will need to be removed is a situation that the patient and the doctor must decide together. Here, the doctor determines the limits of the surgery, conveys his suggestions to the patient without putting the patient at risk, and if there are several surgical alternatives, he explains them to the patient with their pros and cons and accordingly, it is decided which surgery will be performed.
Breast-conserving surgery:
Breast-conserving surgery:
strong>It is the removal of cancer tissue along with some normal healthy tissue around it while preserving the breast cosmetics. Radiotherapy is required after surgery.After this type of treatment, the probability of cancer recurring in the same breast is higher, but research has shown that despite the recurrence of the disease, there is no change in the patient's lifespan when the newly developing cancer is detected at an early stage. During this surgery, armpit lymph nodes are also removed according to the stencil lymph node protocol.
Breast-conserving surgery cannot be applied to every patient
-
It may not be possible to perform breast-conserving surgery in an advanced stage cancer.
-
The cell type is poorly differentiated. Breast-conserving surgery may not be performed again as there is a high probability of recurrence of cancer. .
-
If the patient's breast tissue is already very small, breast-conserving surgery may not be performed as postoperative cosmetics will not be satisfactory.
Mastectomy (another surgical method)There are various types,
-
Simple mastectomy: Only breast tissue is removed
-
Modified radical mastectomy: Breast tissue is removed together with the lymph nodes (according to the sentinel lymphnode biopsy protocol)
-
Subcutaneous mastectomy: It is a preventive surgery, it is performed in patients with high risk of cancer, the breast tissue is removed along with the nipple, and a silicone prosthesis is placed in its place.
-
Nipple sparing. Mastectomy: It is a method that protects the nipple and breast skin. The inside of the breast is emptied and a silicone prosthesis is placed in its place.
Cleaning the lymph nodes
The spread of breast cancer occurs through lymph and blood, usually first to the lymph nodes in the nearby area, and first to the armpit lymph nodes. Lymph nodes that have spread must be cleaned and this area must then be irradiated. Cleaning the armpit lymph nodes causes swelling and infections in the arm in some patients. For this reason, only the armpit lymph nodes of the patient in whom spread is detected are cleaned.
At the beginning of the surgery, with the help of blue dye given under the skin of the breast tissue, the lymph nodes (1-3) under the armpit, where the first spread may occur, are removed and examined by the pathologist during the surgery (this process is called "sentinel lymphnode biopsy If there is spread, other lymph nodes under the armpit are also removed. If there is no spread, the lymph nodes are not cleaned.
Read: 0
