Breast cancer is among the various cancers that affect women all over the world today as a result of medical advancement. However, scientific progress has brought very effective therapy, which gives people new chances and has improved the prognosis drastically. Knowledge of the existing treatment options is critical to every patient and their families especially when looking for the right best breast cancer treatment in Dubai. Read on to gain knowledge about the different kinds of treatments for breast cancer, from the standard mastectomy to modern molecular therapy.
Surgery for Breast Cancer
Evaluation and treatment of breast cancer often involve surgery as the first option of care in most practices. Some of these patients can require surgery in which the tumour, or the breast tissue that contains it, is cut out to rid themselves of the disease. Depending on the cancer stage, a breast surgeon in Dubai may recommend one of the following surgical procedures:
- Lumpectomy: Otherwise known as lumpectomy this operation entails excision of the cancerous mass as well as a small portion of surrounding healthy breast tissue. A lumpectomy is usually recommended for patients with stage one breast cancer.
- Mastectomy: Where the cancer has advanced and affected a larger extent of the breast, it may be necessary to undergo a mastectomy. This involves the surgical operation of cutting off one or both breasts to prevent further growth of the cancer. Presently, techniques such as skin-sparing and nipple-sparing mastectomy are available to minimize the alteration of the breast’s look after the operation.
- Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: Usually done in combination with lumpectomy or mastectomy, it helps to know whether cancer has reached the lymph nodes. SLNB alone provides the least invasive surgical approach, suppressing the risk of lymphedema, which is swelling in the arm caused by the build-up of lymphatic fluid.
Radiation Therapy
Another essential component of breast cancer treatment is radiation therapy used to get rid of remnants of cancer cells after an operation. Radiation beams are directed to the particular area of the breast which has the potential to recur. Patients treated by lumpectomies commonly benefit from radiation therapy because while administering the radiation treatment, the goal is to treat the area adequately but spare the breast.
Several forms of radiation therapy are available:
- External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT): The most frequent type is External Beam Radiation Therapy, wherein the radiation is delivered to the breast from a machine typically in 5-6 weeks.
- Brachytherapy: Another kind of internal radiation therapy, brachytherapy uses a radiation source inside the breast for a shorter duration and has no severe side effects.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves the utilization of very strong drugs that work to eradicate cancer cells and is very often used for the later stages of the illness or for the kinds of tumours that are especially invasive. Though, it is a systemic treatment procedure – it may be used before surgery to reduce the size of tumours or after surgery to remove any residual cancer cells.
It can be delivered periodically, for example, several days of chemotherapy followed by several days of break to allow the body to heal itself. The treatment period and the regimens may include one or several drugs depending on the stage, kind of cancer and the patient in question.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy is useful in patients with breast cancer that is estrogen and/or progesterone-receptor-positive; that is, it depends on these hormones for growth. Oestrogen and progesterone hormones are used in hormone therapy to block the release of these hormones which in turn aid in decreasing or stopping the growth of cancerous cells.
Several forms of radiation therapy are available:
- External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT): The most common type, EBRT uses a machine to direct radiation at the breast from outside the body, with treatments usually lasting five to six weeks.
- Brachytherapy: A form of internal radiation therapy, brachytherapy places radioactive material directly in the breast tissue for a shorter treatment period and minimal side effects.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses potent drugs to destroy cancer cells and is a common option for more advanced breast cancer cases or aggressive cancer types. While it is a systemic treatment (meaning it works throughout the body), chemotherapy can help shrink tumours before surgery or eliminate any remaining cancer cells afterwards.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy is effective for patients whose breast cancer is hormone receptor-positive, meaning it grows in response to estrogen or progesterone. By blocking these hormones, hormone therapy can slow or stop the growth of cancer cells.
- Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs), like tamoxifen, are commonly prescribed for premenopausal women, blocking estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells.
- Aromatase Inhibitors, such as anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane, are often prescribed for postmenopausal women, as they block estrogen production in fat tissue.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapies are relatively new and are directed at proteins that may be involved in breast cancer development. Different from chemotherapy it has more side effects since it affects any cell in the body, targeted therapy targets cancer cells only. Two well-known types of targeted therapies for breast cancer are:
- HER2-Targeted Therapy: For patients, who have HER2-positive breast cancer, small molecules such as trastuzumab, and pertuzumab, hinder the activity of the HER2 protein, thus, slowing cancer progression, and increasing survival.
- CDK4/6 Inhibitors: In patients with fixed hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative breast cancers, enzymes are blocked by palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is relatively new in breast cancer management and among all the types, it has exhibited potential in some of the subtypes. This serves to help the immune cells spot and destroy the cancer cells in the body. This is invaluable for triple-negative breast cancer; which is a cancer type that cannot be treated with hormone or HER2-targeted medicine.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Treatment
The process of identifying the right breast cancer treatment solution in Dubai requires the services of a respected breast surgeon along with a network of experts. Every management strategy is different depending on the type of cancer, its state, and outside factors for the client. Recent advancements in complex combinations of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy have given a positive nod to patients with breast cancer. Contact us today to know more.
