www.breastcancerdiscovery.com In the breast cancer series, Dispelling the Myths Lisa’s Story 2, patient Lisa Amster-Blugh, conveys her experience about the treatment plan that was used to win her battle against breast cancer.

www.healthdialog.com For most women with early-stage invasive breast cancer, mastectomy or lumpectomy with radiation are equally good options. Having one or the other makes no difference in how long you will live. Since both choices provide the same medical outcome, your choice depends on how you feel about: -

How your body looks after your surgery—your appearance – How much time and energy your treatment involves and how much it disrupts your life – The chance that your cancer might come back in the breast or breast area (local recurrence).

Health Dialog honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month by making our decision aid for Early Stage Breast Cancer available during October 2010: www.healthdialog.com This video was produced jointly by Health Dialog and the Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making.

www.vci.org (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) Alternative Breast Cancer Treatment: Stick Figure Animation Part 1/2 vci.org This month is of special attention to cancer, specifically breast cancer, as it is breast cancer awareness month. People from all over the world are expressing their love and care about breast cancer and its victims, its early detection, awareness and cure. Breast cancer is the fatal disease of our times, changing the lives of so many women and in many cases, taking their lives away too. Statistics show that 1 out 8 women will develop breast cancer, that each year over 150.000 are diagnosed with breast cancer, and that 45.000 women will die of breast cancer this year in the US alone. A very sad and fashionable reality. When it comes to finding the right treatment, there is a variety of options out there promising a cure. The most common are the conventional treatments, such as radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. There are other, more holistic treatments as well, that are usually recommended to assist with the cancer, while undergoing conventional treatment. There also is another great treatment that seems to meet the golden line combining conventional with holistic treatment, which seems to be the way medicine will be developing in the future –in an integrated way between Western and Easter Medicine. This treatment is Hyperthermia. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Celebrating 25 Years of … National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is dedicated to …

Just a quarter of a century ago, almost all patients had mastectomy, even if their breast cancer is small.  But over the past few decades, it has been demonstrated that for small cancers, lumpectomy followed by radiation treatment is just as good as mastectomy, at preventing breast cancer recurrence.  Traditional proven radiation is external beam radiation directed to the entire involved breast for 6-7 weeks, 5 days a week (M Tu W Th F).  Depending on the size and extent of the cancer, radiation may include the chest wall and axilla (armpit) on the same side as the involved breast.  In some cases, the area treated may also include on the same side supraclavicular lymph nodes (nodes above the collarbone) and internal mammary lymph nodes (nodes beneath the breast bone near the center of the chest).

Recently, some patients with very early small cancers may consider Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI).  Instead of treating the whole breast, APBI only delivers radiation to the focal location of the lumpectomy site.  This is because most recurrences occur at or near the site of previous cancer.  Currently, the most commonly used regimen involves only 5 days of radiation total.  A balloon is inserted into the lumpectomy site, in the office with local anesthesia.  On the fifth and final day of radiation, the balloon is pulled out.  The most established model Mammosite has been used in more than 35,000 women in the United States, and results with 4-year followup data have been good.  Despite its convenience, APBI is not for everybody.  Some general guidelines exist to determine who is “suitable” for APBI as of 2010.  As we gain more knowledge with longer use of this treatment modality, the guidelines may change in the future.  The “appropriate” criteria are: patient age 50 or more, unifocal (single) cancer, invasive cancer size no more than 2cm, pure DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) no more than 3cm, total tumor size (invasive and DCIS) no more than 3cm, margins clean of tumor, no lymphovascular invasion seen under microscope, and no cancer spread to lymph nodes.  Women with hereditary breast cancer, such as BRCA 1/2 carriers, should not consider APBI.

The above are only general guidelines.  Again, it should be emphasized that traditional whole breast radiation is an established treatment with much longer track record than APBI.  No two breast cancer patients are exactly alike, and therefore the decision making process is different and unique for each individual person.  Regardless of any one else’s advice, you should make the choice that you personally will be able to live with for the rest of your life.

Dr. Mai Brooks is a surgical oncologist/general surgeon, with expertise in early detection and prevention of cancer. More at http://www.drbrooksmd.com, http://thecancerexperience.wordpress.com and http://progressreportoncancer.wordpress.com.
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/what-kind-of-radiation-should-you-choose-after-lumpectomy-for-breast-cancer-1773180.html
Technorati Tag: Breast Cancer

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