Breast cancer is increasingly common in women. Patients are very concerned about whether breast cancer is curable because it greatly affects their health and life expectancy later in life. In general, breast cancer patients have a better chance of treatment than many other cancers if diagnosed early.
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Is Breast Cancer Curable?
At what stage is breast cancer curable, breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells appear in the tissues of the breast, they multiply uncontrollably and form tumors in the breast. To find out if breast cancer is curable, many different factors should be considered, such as:
- Diagnosis time
- Type and stage of cancer
- Overall health
- Ability to respond to treatment.
Is Breast Cancer Curable If Found Early?
Is Breast Cancer Curable If Caught Early? As follows:
- Breast cancer can be fortunately curable if detected, diagnosed, and treated at an early stage.
- And fortunately, most patients are diagnosed at this point.
- About 98% of women can live 5 years or more after being diagnosed.
Is Stage II And Stage III Breast Cancer Curable?
After treatment, the tumor is shrunk or gone and you can enjoy life as usual. However, it is important to periodically monitor cancer for recurrence. About 90% of patients diagnosed with stage II can live for 5 years or more, while the figure for stage III is more than 70%.
Is Late-Stage Breast Cancer Curable?
The disease cannot be cured if it is at an advanced stage and has spread to other parts of the body. However, the doctor will treat the patient with the aim of controlling the disease and prolonging the patient’s life. About 25% of patients will survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
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In summary, the early stages, and the later stages of treatment are aimed at controlling the disease as long as possible. However, the prognosis in the metastatic stage is much worse than in the previous stages.
Breast Cancer Treatments
Breast cancer depends on the patient’s overall health and response to treatment. There will be cases where breast cancer is not completely curable, but controllable. Current advances in breast cancer treatment can help patients reduce pain and discomfort caused by the disease while improving quality of life and prolonging life for as long as possible.
Depending on the type and extent of metastasis of the tumor, the doctor may prescribe the following methods:
Is Breast Cancer Curable After Surgery?
Surgery can help to completely remove the tumor that is visible at the time of surgery and cure the disease in the early stages when the tumor is small in size. However, surgery will not be able to cure the disease if the cancer is at an advanced stage and when the tumor is large. At this point, surgery is performed with the aim of removing as much of the tumor as possible.
- The following types of breast cancer surgery may be indicated:
- Breast-conserving surgery (including lumpectomy or wide excision):
- Indicated to remove small tumors or early breast cancer.
- The surgeon will remove the tumor and a small portion of surrounding healthy tissue.
- Total mastectomy (mastectomy):
- Removal of all breast tissue, including the lobules, ducts, fatty tissue and breast skin, nipple, and areola.
- Axillary lymph node removal:
- If cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit, the doctor will remove the lymph nodes in this area.
Remove Both Breasts.
Some women have cancer in one breast but may be advised to have both breasts removed if they are at high risk of developing cancer in the other breast because of genetics or if there are many family members with the disease.
Radiotherapy
Radiation therapy is a method of using high-energy beams of radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is usually given using a large machine that projects energy beams into the chest (external radiation therapy).
Are Breast Cancer Curable With Radiation Therapy Alone?
Radiation therapy is not used alone but is often used as an adjuvant after surgery, to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Valence
- If your breast cancer has a high risk of recurrence or metastasis to other parts of the body, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy after surgery to reduce the risk of cancer coming back.
- Some people with larger tumors may undergo chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the tumor so that the surgery is more complete.
- Chemotherapy is also used in women with metastatic breast cancer to control cancer and relieve symptoms.
Hormone Therapy
Some breast cancers are stimulated to grow by the hormones estrogen or progesterone – two lovemaking hormones available in the body. In these cases, hormone therapy will reduce the levels of these two hormones in the body or block their effects, preventing cancer cells from growing.
Targeted Medication Therapy
Medicines that target an abnormality in a cancer cell (such as a protein called HER2, which is overproduced by breast cancer cells. HER2 helps cancer cells survive and grow). In this way, the medication destroys cancer cells.
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Your doctor will do a cancer cell test to see if in your case the targeted medicine is working. Certain medications are used after surgery to reduce the risk of cancer coming back. While the other is used in cases of late-stage breast cancer to slow the growth of the tumor.
Is Breast Cancer Curable With Immunotherapy?
Normally, the body’s immune system detects and attacks abnormal cells. However, cancer cells produce proteins that “blind” the immune system, allowing them to survive. Immunotherapy interferes with the production of these proteins so that our body’s immune system detects cancer cells and destroys them.
This may be an option if you have breast cancer where the cancer cells are not sensitive to estrogen or progesterone or do not produce the protein HER2. Above is the answer to whether breast cancer is curable.
Conclusion:
Detecting early signs of breast cancer is the key to increasing the chances of a cure. If you find a lump or unusual change in your breast, see your doctor for a prompt examination.
best4smart articles are for reference only and are not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment.
Related Question:
Is Breast Cancer Curable With Hormone Therapy Alone?
The answer is NO. This method is indicated after surgery and chemotherapy, or before surgery to shrink the tumor. However, there are still people who are only treated with hormone therapy if their health is not enough for surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. If the type of breast cancer you have is not hormone-sensitive, this method will not work.
