It's normal to feel scared, shocked, and uncertain when your doctor tells you or someone you know that you have "Stage III" breast cancer. Questions like 'What do I do now?', 'Can this be cured?', 'Will the treatment be harsh?' probably come to mind. But don't worry. Today's medicine is very advanced. So today, let's talk about this condition and the successful treatments for it in a very simple way that you can understand.
What exactly is 'Stage III'?
Simply put, at this stage, the cancer has spread beyond the breast to nearby lymph nodes, or in colloquial terms, to the armpits. Sometimes, the tumor can grow so large that it is attached to the chest wall or the skin of the breast itself.
It's true that this sounds scary, but the important thing is that at this stage, a combination of treatments can be used rather than a single treatment method, and very successful results can be achieved.
Now let's see what these treatments are.
What are the main treatments?
When treating stage 3 breast cancer, your medical team will develop the best treatment plan specific to your condition. There are several main treatment options that are used for this. Let's take a look at them.
| Treatment method | Simply put... |
|---|---|
| Chemotherapy | Giving powerful drugs to destroy cancer cells. |
| Surgery | Surgical removal of the cancerous tumor and surrounding tissue. |
| Radiation Therapy | Using high-energy rays to destroy any remaining cancer cells. |
| Hormone Therapy | Stopping the action of hormones that help cancer grow. |
| Targeted Therapy | Treatment targeting a process specific to cancer cells. |
Okay, now let's talk about each of these treatment methods in a little more detail.
Chemotherapy
This is the most commonly used treatment for stage 3 cancer.
- Before surgery: Sometimes, when there are large tumors, chemotherapy is given before surgery to shrink the tumor . This makes the surgery easier and more successful.
- After surgery: Chemotherapy helps destroy any cancer cells that may remain in the body after surgery, but are not visible to the naked eye.
- As the main treatment: In some cases, if surgery is not possible, chemotherapy is used as the main treatment.
This treatment can be taken as a pill or a liquid, but it is most often given through a vein (intravenous or IV). You will be given a break between cycles to allow your body to adjust.
Surgery
Surgery is usually performed after chemotherapy has shrunk the tumor. There are two main types:
- Lumpectomy: This involves removing the cancerous tumor and a small amount of healthy tissue around it, leaving the breast intact.
- Mastectomy: This involves removing the entire breast.
Whatever surgery you have, the lymph nodes in the armpit where the cancer has spread will also be removed . After surgery, especially after a mastectomy, you may also have the option of having breast reconstruction surgery if you want to. Talk to your doctor about this.
Radiation Therapy
After surgery, this treatment is used to destroy any tiny cancer cells that may remain in the surgical area. It's like a good scrubbing and rinsing. This can greatly reduce the risk of cancer coming back in the same area.
Hormone Therapy
This treatment is not suitable for everyone. It is only important for people with "hormone receptor-positive" cancers.
What does that mean?
Simply put, hormones like estrogen in our body help those cancer cells grow. So this treatment either stops those hormones from reaching the cancer cells or blocks the action of those hormones.
- The drug `Tamoxifen` is commonly used for this purpose.
- Aromatase inhibitors, such as anastrozole (Arimidex) and letrozole (Femara), are prescribed to postmenopausal women.
A new treatment method: Targeted Therapy
This is one of the most advanced aspects of cancer treatment. Unlike chemotherapy, these treatments target a specific weakness or target in cancer cells.
- HER2-Positive Cancer: Some breast cancers have too much of a protein called `HER2`. This causes the cancer to grow quickly. These people are given drugs like `trastuzumab (Herceptin)` and `pertuzumab (Perjeta).` These work by stopping the action of the `HER2` protein and controlling the cancer.
- BRCA gene mutations: Some cancers are caused by mutations in the `BRCA` gene. For these people, a class of drugs called `PARP inhibitors` (e.g. `olaparib (Lynparza)`) can be very effective.
- In addition, there are other targeted therapies such as `CDK 4/6 inhibitors` and `PIK3CA inhibitors`. Depending on the nature of your cancer, doctors will decide which of these treatments is right for you.
Also think about clinical trials.
These are studies that are still in the research stage, testing cutting-edge treatments. Some patients with stage 3 cancer may have the opportunity to participate in a `Clinical Trial` like this. Through this, you may receive the latest treatments in the world. Don't forget to ask your doctor for more information about this.
Take-Home Message
- Although stage 3 breast cancer is a serious condition, it is treatable and manageable . Especially when multiple treatments are used together, very successful results can be achieved.
- The treatment plan you receive is tailored specifically to you, based on the nature of your cancer (e.g., hormone-sensitive, HER2-positive).
- Please feel free to ask your doctor any questions or concerns you may have about the treatments or their side effects. They are committed to helping you.
- Maintaining a strong mental state and having the support of family and friends is very important during this journey. Don't suffer alone.
- Thanks to modern methods such as targeted therapies, there is much better hope for treating breast cancer today than before.
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