Upon diagnosis of breast cancer, the Sharon Ewing Walker Breast Health Center utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to recommending the plan of care that is best for each patient. Medical Oncologists are part of the multidisciplinary breast health team and specialize in the treatment of cancer using chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Many medical oncologists are also specialists in hematology (study of the blood).
Their responsibilities may include:
- Managing the care of cancer patients needing chemotherapy and hormones,
- Referring patients to and consulting with other physicians and health care providers for additional tests or procedures, and
- Referring patients to community resources and clinical trials as appropriate
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treatments to control the spread of breast cancer have proven very beneficial to many women. Breast cancer survival is at an all time high. Chemotherapy or "chemo" treats cancer using different chemicals (medications), which are also known as:
- Anti-cancer drugs
- Anti-neoplastic agents
- Chemo drugs
- Biotherapy
- Hormones
How they are given
Chemotherapy drugs are given intravenously (through a vein) or orally (by mouth) and travel throughout the body. They may be given before (neoadjuvant therapy) or after (adjuvant therapy) surgery to treat primary cancer.
Chemo is given in cycles, which include alternating treatment periods and rest periods. This gives normal cells a chance to recover, but does not give cancer cells enough time to multiply. Each treatment may take a few hours, depending on the type of drugs used and the length of time it takes to administer each drug. Treatments may be repeated every one to four weeks, three to six months, or longer depending on your treatment plan.
Side effects
Chemotherapy side effects can range from minor to life-threatening conditions depending on the chemo drug used, the dosage, and a person's overall health. The breast health team will inform you about all the potential side effects of any treatment they prescribe before you give your consent.
Different people have different reactions to the same chemotherapy. If you undergo chemotherapy, you will not know how you will react or what side effects you will experience until a few days after your first chemotherapy session. Listen to your body, pay attention to what you are feeling, and always report symptoms to your doctor or nurse. Your initial experience will help you prepare for and cope with future chemotherapy sessions.
Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer
Some tumors use estrogen and testosterone, in women and men, to survive and grow. These tumors are called hormone-fed or hormone-responsive tumors. To determine whether a tumor falls into this category, a pathologist analyzes a sample of the tissue. If the tumor is found to be hormone-response, your medical oncologist likely will recommend hormone therapy in order to decrease the hormone level in your body by blocking the tumors route to the hormones it wants and needs for growth.
Some forms of hormone therapy are also used to treat such cancers as lymphoma. Sometimes, hormone therapy also is used to shrink tumors before surgery so they are easier to remove. Medical oncologists may also recommend hormone therapy after treatments have ended to try to keep cancer from recurring.
Medical oncologists may recommend hormone therapy to prevent cancer from growing, especially in postmenopausal women since their cancer cells often have receptors that attract estrogen and /or progesterone. Pre-menopausal women may also be prescribed hormone therapy following surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.
