Breast Cancer Treatment

If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, you may feel overwhelmed by what it means and how to decide what to do. Hearing that you have breast cancer can be difficult but you don’t have to face it alone. 

The team at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center is by your side to support you. Your care team includes some of the nation’s top medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, as well as nurse navigators who work closely with you throughout your care. Our experts focus only on cancer and they work together to create a treatment plan just for you.

Types of breast cancer treatment

Your treatment will depend on what testing and diagnosis shows about the type of breast cancer, its stage and your overall health. Most people receive a combination of treatments.

Surgery

Surgery is a common part of most breast cancer treatment. You may need surgery to:

• Remove the cancer
• Find out if the cancer has spread
• Restore your breast’s shape
• Relieve symptoms

Types of breast cancer surgery include:

• Lumpectomy (breast-conserving surgery): Removes only the tumor and a small margin of surrounding tissue.
• Mastectomy: The entire breast is removed, including almost all breast tissue and sometimes other nearby tissues. Sometimes the skin and/or nipple can be spared during the mastectomy to help with breast reconstruction.

You might have the option to have either lumpectomy followed by radiation treatment or a mastectomy. Studies show that when lumpectomy is combined with radiation, survival rates are the same as having a mastectomy.

Mastectomy may be a better option for women who have certain types of breast cancer or a large tumor or who have had radiation treatment in the past.

Your provider may also recommend other surgical treatments:

• Lymph node surgery: Axillary (underarm) lymph nodes may be removed as part of breast cancer surgery or during a separate procedure. By analyzing the lymph nodes, your care team can figure out the cancer’s stage.
  • Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB): Tracers are injected into the breast to show which lymph nodes the breast drains to first. These lymph nodes, called sentinel lymph nodes, are the ones that would be initially affected by breast cancer.
  • Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND): Almost all of the underarm lymph nodes are removed to check how the cancer has spread.
• Seed localization: This can help surgeons accurately find and remove a breast tumor without removing much healthy breast tissue. They use a mammogram or ultrasound to find the tumor, then place a tiny seed there with a needle. During surgery, a special probe finds the seed and the tumor so they can both be removed.

Breast reconstruction

Based on the amount of tissue being removed, you may have the option of breast reconstruction surgery. Breast reconstruction can be done during breast cancer surgery or afterwards. 

During reconstruction, a plastic surgeon uses an implant or tissue from another part of the body to reshape or recreate the breast. This procedure is not considered cosmetic surgery, so it’s covered by most health insurance plans. 

Learn more about breast reconstruction.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. For breast cancer patients, radiation may be used to:

• Destroy any cancer cells that remain after a lumpectomy
• Reduce the size of a tumor and help stop it from spreading after a mastectomy
• Treat breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, sometimes combined with chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted therapy

At Banner MD Anderson, we offer a variety of radiation therapies. If your care team recommends radiation therapy as part of your treatment, be sure you understand how it works, how you’ll feel and what results to expect. Our team is here to help you get the information you need to be comfortable with your breast cancer treatment decisions.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs eliminate cancer cells throughout the body. Your care team may recommend different drugs depending on the type and stage of your cancer and your overall health. 

Chemotherapy drugs are usually given as an injection or by IV infusion (needle in a vein), but there are some types you can take by mouth. Chemotherapy may be used before or after surgery and either alone or with radiation therapy.

In some early stages of breast cancer, your doctors may use certain tests to predict if you would benefit from chemotherapy or to help determine how likely it is that breast cancer will return.

Other available treatment options 

• Hormone (endocrine) therapy: Hormone therapy uses drugs that either lower estrogen and/or progesterone levels or block these hormones from breast cancer cells. These hormones can fuel certain breast cancers.
• Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy uses drugs that specifically attack cancer cells with certain features, such as HER2-positive cancers.
• Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy uses drugs to stimulate your immune system to fight the cancer. It can treat some aggressive forms of breast cancer, such as triple negative breast cancers.
• Clinical trials: Researchers are working to cure breast cancer and improve treatment options. Clinical trials help find better ways to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer. You may qualify for clinical trials that could give you access to some of the latest and most advanced treatments. Talk to your Banner MD Anderson care team about clinical trials.

Deciding on treatment options

A group of breast cancer specialists called a multidisciplinary tumor board reviews your case to put together your treatment plan. They will consider:

• The type and stage of your cancer
• Biomarker status (ER, PR, HER2)
• Your age, overall health and personal preferences
• Which treatment decisions need to be made right away and which can be made later

With this team approach, you receive the most effective, personalized care.

Managing side effects

All cancer treatments can cause side effects but your team will help you manage them. Common side effects include:

• Surgery: Pain, swelling and limited arm movement
• Radiation therapy: Skin irritation or peeling, itching and fatigue
• Chemotherapy: Hair loss, nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, mouth sores and infection risk
• Hormone therapy: Hot flashes, joint pain and bone thinning
• Targeted and immunotherapy: Fatigue, skin changes, vomiting, diarrhea or flu-like symptoms

Your care team will give you the information, tools and resources you need to make your decisions. They will also provide medications, supportive therapies and lifestyle advice to help you feel better during your treatment.

Support services at Banner MD Anderson

At Banner MD Anderson, we care for the whole person, not just the cancer. It’s important that you are physically comfortable, have ideal pain management and feel emotionally supported. Be open about your feelings, preferences and concerns. 

Our supportive services include:

• Nurse navigators who guide you through appointments, tests and treatments
• Support groups and counseling to help you and your family cope emotionally
• Nutrition services to keep your body strong
• Cooling caps to help reduce hair loss
• Rehabilitation and physical therapy to support recovery
• Integrative services like mind-body therapy and relaxation techniques
• Survivorship programs to help you transition to life after cancer once treatment ends

Special situations and advanced care

Banner MD Anderson offers advanced options for types of breast cancer that may need more aggressive treatment, such as triple negative or inflammatory breast cancer. For advanced or metastatic breast cancer, we provide long-term therapy, combinations of treatments and access to clinical trials.

What to expect during treatment

Your treatment timeline depends on your plan. Some people start with surgery, while others may begin with chemotherapy or hormone therapy. You may need:

• Short hospital stays for surgery
• Weeks of radiation therapy after surgery
• Several months of chemotherapy or hormone therapy 

Your team will explain what to expect, how long each treatment may last and what recovery looks like. You’ll have follow-up appointments and monitoring going forward to check on your progress and health.

Why choose Banner MD Anderson for treatment and support

At Banner MD Anderson’s highly regarded breast cancer program, you benefit from our: 

• Expertise: Specialists who focus only on cancer
• Comprehensive care: Multidisciplinary teams work together to provide care
• Innovation: Access to some of the latest treatments and clinical trials
• Compassionate support: Services to care for your mind, body and spirit

Next steps: Moving forward with confidence

At Banner MD Anderson, we’re here to support you through every stage of your breast cancer journey. From diagnosis to treatment to survivorship, you’ll never be alone.

Make an appointment to meet with a breast cancer specialist. 

Request an appointment