Treatment

Over the past twenty years, great improvements have been made in the treatment of breast cancer. As a result, the number of breast cancer survivors continues to rise. There are about 2.5 million survivors alive in the U.S. today! Although each person's treatment will be slightly different, it most often involves some combination of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and/or targeted therapy (such as Herceptin). Your treatments will be based on the biology of the tumor, your overall health and your wishes. Your treatment plan is the result of both medical and personal choices.
In this section of Understanding Breast Cancer, we describe the standard treatments (including their benefits and risks) for different types of breast cancer.