Breast cancer may be treated in a number of ways, depending on the stage of your breast cancer. Most stages of breast cancer are treated with some kind of surgery, with other treatments added if necessary.
Surgery
Surgery aims to remove the tumor from your breast, leaving only normal tissue behind. The kind of surgical procedure done depends on the stage of your breast cancer. All types of surgery carry the following risks:
- wound infection
- wound dehiscence (This means that your wound may open up several days after surgery.)
- blood or fluid accumulating around your wound
- complications from anesthesia.
- excessive bleeding during your surgery
However, it is quite rare for any of these events to happen. Before undergoing any surgical procedure, discuss all the possible risks with your doctor.
Lumpectomy
This procedure only removes your tumor surrounded by a margin of normal tissue. Lumpectomy is recommended for small tumors only. A lumpectomy is not advisable if:
- You have many tumors in your breast.
- Removing your tumor will leave only a small amount of normal tissue left in your breast.
- You have a large tumor.
- You cannot undergo radiation therapy.
You may experience the following after your lumpectomy:
- numbness in the affected breast (This is usually temporary. The sensation in your breast usually returns to normal or close to normal after some time.)
- asymmetrical breasts (The affected breast may appear smaller or slightly different in shape from the normal breast.)
Mastectomy
With this procedure, the entire breast is removed. The tissue covering the muscles of your chest wall may also be involved. If you have a mastectomy, you run the risk of developing:
- decreased sensation in the area of your surgery
- a delay in wound healing
- scar tissue that may lead to an unsightly or painful area later on
You may opt to have a kind of mastectomy that lets you have breast reconstruction right away. This is either the skin sparing mastectomy or the nipple sparing mastectomy. However, these procedures are more complicated and take more time to perform.
Lymph node dissection
If it is suspected that your breast cancer involves your lymph nodes, a lymph node dissection may be done along with your lumpectomy or mastectomy. With lymph node dissection, your doctor removes several lymph nodes from your body. These lymph nodes are usually taken from the areas surrounding your breast and around your armpit. This procedure is important to properly stage your breast cancer and guide further treatment plans. However, the following side-effects may occur after your surgery:
- lymphedema (The path through which the lymph normally drains from may be blocked, causing the lymph to accumulate. This may cause your arm to swell.)
- shoulder dysfunction (You may have difficulty moving your arm. Your arm may feel weak or stiff.)
- nerve damage (The nerves that pass through your armpit may be affected during surgery. This may cause a tingling sensation in your armpit, shoulder, or the back of your arm. The skin over these areas may also have decreased sensation, or be completely desensitized. The nerves responsible for moving your arm and hand may also be affected.)
- pain (Rather than numbness, you may instead feel pain in your armpit or when moving your arm.)
- swelling and inflammation of your blood vessels (Surgery can cause your veins to become inflamed. Blood clots may also form in these veins.)
Radiotherapy
Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, makes use of radiation to kill cancer cells remaining in the body after surgery. This type of therapy is well tolerated by many patients. However, you might experience one or all of the following side-effects:
- skin reaction (The area affected may appear reddened or burned. You may have itchiness or peeling.)
- pain or discomfort in the chest or armpit area
- low white blood cell count
- fatigue
Although this is a very rare complication, radiotherapy may affect your lungs and heart. You may have a problem with your heart or lungs if you have any of the following symptoms:
- difficulty breathing
- shortness of breath
- coughing
- irregular or abnormally loud heartbeats
- swelling of the feet and/or legs
- severe chest pain
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses medicines that kill cancer cells. Unfortunately, some of these medicines can affect normal, healthy cells as well. Possible side-effects of chemotherapy are the following:
- nausea and vomiting
- hair loss
- Anemia, or low red blood cell count (This may lead to dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, or fatigue.)
- low white blood cell count (This affects your immune system, so you may be more prone to infections. It may take you longer to recover from infectious diseases such as the flu.
- diarrhea
- weight loss
- osteoporosis (thinning of the bones)
Hormonal therapy
Hormonal therapy is used for breast cancers that are classified as estrogen receptor positive. These cancers grow and develop under the influence of estrogen. Fortunately, hormonal therapy reduces the level of estrogen found in your body. It also blocks the estrogen receptors found on breast cancer cells.
Hormonal therapy medications are one of the following types: selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM), aromatase inhibitors, and estrogen receptor downregulators (ERD). They may produce the following side-effects:
- joint problems, such as stiffness or pain
- osteoporosis, which can lead to fractures
- symptoms similar to menopause, such as hot flashes and mood swings
SERMs can also increase your risk for stroke, heart attacks, and endometrial cancer.