Until you find what works for you, it might help to:
- Learn enough about your breast cancer to make decisions about your care. ...
- Talk with other breast cancer survivors. You may find it helpful and encouraging to talk to others in your same situation. ...
- Find someone to talk about your feelings with. Find a friend or family member who is a good listener, or talk with a clergy member or counselor. ...
- Keep your friends and family close. Your friends and family can provide a crucial support network for you during your cancer treatment. ...
- Maintain intimacy with your partner. In Western cultures, women's breasts are associated with attractiveness, femininity and sexuality. ...
Full Answer
How are my breast cancer treatment options determined?
These doctors could include: A breast surgeon or surgical oncologist: a doctor who uses surgery to treat breast cancer. A radiation oncologist: a doctor who uses radiation to treat cancer. A medical oncologist: a doctor who uses chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and other medicines to treat cancer.
What is the best way to treat breast cancer?
Radiation therapy. Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer cells. Doctors from different specialties often work together to treat breast cancer. Surgeons are doctors who perform operations. Medical oncologists are doctors who treat cancer with medicine. Radiation oncologists are doctors who treat cancer with radiation.
What are the different types of breast cancer treatments?
How Can I Make the Best Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions for Myself? Clear and open communication between patient and doctor is critical to making the right choices. By Elaine K. Howley | May 18,...
How do you diagnose breast cancer?
One way to find out if the treatment you've been recommended is standard of care for your particular cancer is to call the American Cancer Society's Helpline at …
Which hospital is best for breast cancer treatment?
- MD Anderson Cancer Center. Aurora Fierro / Getty Images. ...
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is a non-profit hospital located in New York City. ...
- Mayo Clinic. ...
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. ...
- Cleveland Clinic. ...
- Johns Hopkins Hospital. ...
- Northwestern Memorial Hospital. ...
- UCLA Medical Center.
What is the most effective form of treatment for breast cancer?
Who is the best breast cancer oncologist?
| Foluso Ademuyiwa | Washington University in St. Louis |
|---|---|
| George Somlo | City of Hope |
| Vered Stearns | Johns Hopkins University |
| Tiffany Traina | Memorial Sloan Kettering |
| Eric Winer | Dana Farber Cancer Institute |
Which breast cancer is hardest to treat?
What is the 5 year pill for breast cancer?
What is the latest treatment for breast cancer?
What type breast cancer has the highest recurrence rate?
How long do you see an oncologist after breast cancer?
What state has the best cancer doctors?
How fast can breast cancer Spread?
What is the easiest breast cancer to treat?
The cancer cells have not spread through the walls of the ducts into the nearby breast tissue. Nearly all women with DCIS can be cured.Jan 5, 2022
What type of breast cancer is most common?
Which Treatments Are Used For Breast Cancer?
There are several ways to treat breast cancer, depending on its type and stage.Local treatments: Some treatments are local, meaning they treat the...
How Is Breast Cancer Typically Treated?
Most women with breast cancer will have some type of surgery to remove the tumor. Depending on the type of breast cancer and how advanced it is, yo...
Who Treats Breast Cancer?
Doctors on your cancer treatment team might include: 1. A breast surgeon or surgical oncologist: a doctor who uses surgery to treat breast cancer 2...
Making Treatment Decisions
It’s important to discuss all of your treatment options, including their goals and possible side effects, with your doctors to help make the decisi...
Help Getting Through Breast Cancer Treatment
Your cancer care team will be your first source of information and support, but there are many places you can get more help if you need it. Hospita...
What is the best test for breast cancer?
Tests and procedures used to diagnose breast cancer include: Breast exam. Your doctor will check both of your breasts and lymph nodes in your armpit, feeling for any lumps or other abnormalities. Mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Mammograms are commonly used to screen for breast cancer.
What is the only definitive way to diagnose breast cancer?
A biopsy is the only definitive way to make a diagnosis of breast cancer. During a biopsy, your doctor uses a specialized needle device guided by X-ray or another imaging test to extract a core of tissue from the suspicious area.
How to determine if a breast lump is a solid mass or a fluid filled cyst?
Ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images of structures deep within the body. Ultrasound may be used to determine whether a new breast lump is a solid mass or a fluid-filled cyst. Removing a sample of breast cells for testing (biopsy). A biopsy is the only definitive way to make a diagnosis of breast cancer.
What is breast MRI?
Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI machine uses a magnet and radio waves to create pictures of the interior of your breast. Before a breast MRI, you receive an injection of dye. Unlike other types of imaging tests, an MRI doesn't use radiation to create the images.
What is the purpose of MRI of breast?
An MRI machine uses a magnet and radio waves to create pictures of the interior of your breast. Before a breast MRI, you receive an injection of dye. Unlike other types of imaging tests, an MRI doesn't use radiation to create the images. Other tests and procedures may be used depending on your situation.
What tests are done to determine if you have breast cancer?
Tests and procedures used to stage breast cancer may include: Blood tests, such as a complete blood count. Mammogram of the other breast to look for signs of cancer. Breast MRI.
What is the procedure called when you remove a tumor from your breast?
Removing the breast cancer (lumpectomy ). During a lumpectomy, which may be referred to as breast-conserving surgery or wide local excision, the surgeon removes the tumor and a small margin of surrounding healthy tissue. A lumpectomy may be recommended for removing smaller tumors.
How is breast cancer treated?
Breast cancer is treated in several ways. It depends on the kind of breast cancer and how far it has spread. People with breast cancer often get more than one kind of treatment. Surgery.
What is the best treatment for cancer?
Hormonal therapy. Blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow. Biological therapy. Works with your body’s immune system to help it fight cancer cells or to control side effects from other cancer treatments. Radiation therapy. Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer cells.
How does radiation help with cancer?
Radiation therapy. Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer cells. Doctors from different specialties often work together to treat breast cancer.
What are the different types of doctors who treat breast cancer?
Doctors from different specialties often work together to treat breast cancer. Surgeons are doctors who perform operations. Medical oncologists are doctors who treat cancer with medicine. Radiation oncologists are doctors who treat cancer with radiation.
What is clinical trial?
Clinical Trials. Clinical trials use new treatment options to see if they are safe and effective. If you have cancer, you may want to take part. Visit the sites listed below for more information.
Is it easier to find a doctor for cancer?
With more common types of cancer, like breast cancer or colorectal cancer, it may be easier to find an experienced doctor near you, even in a small town. But if you have a less common cancer, like sarcoma, neuroblastoma, or pancreatic cancer, you'll likely be better off at a bigger center, Lichtenfeld says. "If you have a relatively uncommon ...
Do cancer centers have access to the same treatment?
Although major cancer centers provide access to a lot of resources and state-of-the-art technologies, it may be that you'd get the exact same treatment nearby as you would a few hours away at a major center. "A great doctor at the bedside is worth five expert doctors flying around the country," Lichtenfeld says.
Is it worth going to a cancer center for a second opinion?
It can certainly be worthwhile to make a trip to a major cancer center to get a second opinion.
Is cancer treatment evolving?
Besides, cancer treatment is evolving at a rapid pace. Your friend may have had one kind of treatment for their cancer five years ago, and since then, a new drug may have emerged that improves on the old treatment regimen. Side effects may vary, too.
Who will be on your team for chemotherapy?
One very important set of people who will definitely be on your team are the oncology nurses. These are the people who will spend the most time with you, who will actually administer your chemotherapy (if you get it), and who will monitor your side effects and answer a lot of your questions. Get to know your nurses.
Can nutritionists help with cancer?
Nutritionists can also play a key role for the person with cancer. "Cancer treatment can debilitate your body, and you need to be eating a healthy diet to give you the strength you need to deal with the side effects and fight the cancer," Lichtenfeld says.
What is the role of nutritionists in cancer treatment?
Nutritionists can also play a key role for the person with cancer. "Cancer treatment can debilitate your body, and you need to be eating a healthy diet to give you the strength you need to deal with the side effects and fight the cancer ," Lichtenfeld says.
What kind of doctor do you work with when you have breast cancer?
From the time you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you will work with a team of cancer specialists that may include: A medical oncologist. A surgical oncologist. A radiation oncologist. A care-manager/caseworker/nurse navigator or patient navigator.
Do breast cancer doctors pay for second opinion?
Many health insurance companies will pay for a second opinion if you or your doctor requests it, and some companies require a second opinion.
Is it important to be sure that treatments you receive are in keeping with the NCCN treatment guidelines?
Either way, you’ll have more information and perhaps a greater sense of control. You may also feel more confident about the decisions you make, knowing that you’ve looked carefully at your options. It is important to be sure that treatments you receive are in keeping with the NCCN treatment guidelines.
How do you know if you have breast cancer?
How Is Breast Cancer Diagnosed? 1 Breast ultrasound. A machine that uses sound waves to make detailed pictures, called sonograms, of areas inside the breast. 2 Diagnostic mammogram. If you have a problem in your breast, such as lumps, or if an area of the breast looks abnormal on a screening mammogram, doctors may have you get a diagnostic mammogram. This is a more detailed X-ray of the breast. 3 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A kind of body scan that uses a magnet linked to a computer. The MRI scan will make detailed pictures of areas inside the breast. 4 Biopsy. This is a test that removes tissue or fluid from the breast to be looked at under a microscope and do more testing. There are different kinds of biopsies (for example, fine-needle aspiration, core biopsy, or open biopsy).
What is the process of finding out if breast cancer is spread?
This process is called staging . Whether the cancer is only in the breast, is found in lymph nodes under your arm, or has spread outside the breast determines your stage of breast cancer.
What is the name of the test that removes tissue from breast?
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A kind of body scan that uses a magnet linked to a computer. The MRI scan will make detailed pictures of areas inside the breast. Biopsy. This is a test that removes tissue or fluid from the breast to be looked at under a microscope and do more testing.
What is the test that removes tissue or fluid from the breast to be looked at under a microscope and do more
Biopsy. This is a test that removes tissue or fluid from the breast to be looked at under a microscope and do more testing. There are different kinds of biopsies (for example, fine-needle aspiration, core biopsy, or open biopsy).
What is the name of the machine that uses sound waves to make detailed pictures of areas inside the breast?
Breast ultrasound. A machine that uses sound waves to make detailed pictures, called sonograms, of areas inside the breast. Diagnostic mammogram. If you have a problem in your breast, such as lumps, or if an area of the breast looks abnormal on a screening mammogram, doctors may have you get a diagnostic mammogram.
Is breast cancer covered by insurance?
Not all doctors and hospitals are covered by all health insurance plans. With the high cost of breast cancer treatment, you may prefer care from the doctors and hospitals covered under your health insurance plan. Finally, if you’ve already chosen a doctor, the choice of hospitals will be limited to those where the doctor has practicing privileges.
What is the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers?
The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers works to improve quality of care in medical centers. They help ensure medical centers have multidisciplinary services and offer comprehensive breast services.
What is a cancer center?
National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Centers are hospitals and medical centers noted for their high quality of science and research in cancer care. Academic cancer centers are affiliated with medical schools and tend to place a high priority on research. These may be called teaching hospitals.
What is the number to call for mammography?
A list of centers meeting the FDA’s quality standards is available online or by calling the NCI’s Cancer Information Service at (800) 4-CANCER.
Can a doctor see only breast cancer patients?
A doctor who sees only people with breast cancer likely has more experience treating breast cancer than one who treats many types of cancer . However, outside of large medical centers, it can be hard to find doctors (such as medical oncologists, surgeons and radiation oncologists) who only treat people with breast cancer.
What is the best way to find a good health care provider?
Board certification. Making sure a doctor is board-certified is an important step in finding a good health care provider. To be board-certified, a doctor must have the training and knowledge to practice a medical specialty and must have passed a certification exam.
How to be a board certified doctor?
To be board-certified, a doctor must have the training and knowledge to practice a medical specialty and must have passed a certification exam.
Where do doctors post their ABMS certification?
Many doctors post their ABMS certificates in their offices. The American Medical Association maintains DoctorFinder, a database of U.S. doctors. DoctorFinder lists a doctor’s certification status and includes where the doctor went to medical school and did their training.
Do doctors take part in clinical trials?
However, being able to take part in clinical trials can depend on the type of hospital where a doctor practices.
Diagnosis
- Diagnosing breast cancer
Tests and procedures used to diagnose breast cancer include: 1. Breast exam.Your doctor will check both of your breasts and lymph nodes in your armpit, feeling for any lumps or other abnormalities. 2. Mammogram.A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Mammograms are co… - Staging breast cancer
Once your doctor has diagnosed your breast cancer, he or she works to establish the extent (stage) of your cancer. Your cancer's stage helps determine your prognosis and the best treatment options. Complete information about your cancer's stage may not be available until af…
Treatment
- Your doctor determines your breast cancer treatment options based on your type of breast cancer, its stage and grade, size, and whether the cancer cells are sensitive to hormones. Your doctor also considers your overall health and your own preferences. Most women undergo surgery for breast cancer and many also receive additional treatment after surgery, such as che…
Clinical Trials
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Alternative Medicine
- No alternative medicine treatments have been found to cure breast cancer. But complementary and alternative medicine therapies may help you cope with side effects of treatment when combined with your doctor's care.
Coping and Support
- A breast cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. And just when you're trying to cope with the shock and the fears about your future, you're asked to make important decisions about your treatment. Every person finds his or her own way of coping with a cancer diagnosis. Until you find what works for you, it might help to: 1. Learn enough about your breast cancer to make decision…
Preparing For Your Appointment
- Consulting with your health care team
Women with breast cancer may have appointments with their primary care doctors as well as several other doctors and health professionals, including: 1. Breast health specialists 2. Breast surgeons 3. Doctors who specialize in diagnostic tests, such as mammograms (radiologists) 4. … - What you can do to prepare
1. Write down any symptoms you're experiencing,including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. 2. Write down key personal information,including any major stresses or recent life changes. 3. Write down your family histor…