Breast Cancer Treatment Abroad - Medical Tourism
Breast cancer can be treated by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. As screening methods have improved, earlier diagnosis has become possible. Combined with improved treatment methods, deaths due to breast cancer have significantly decreased over the past few years. Oncologists make determinations on the most appropriate course of treatment by considering several factors, including the type of cancer, the preferences of the patient, and the patient’s overall health.
Procedure information
The initial treatment of breast cancer will depend on the location and size of the tumor, its development, and the patient’s general health. The approach may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy – or often a combination of two or more of these treatment options.
When surgery is used to treat the cancer, either the entire breast is removed in a procedure called a mastectomy or just the part of the breast that contains the cancer is removed in a procedure known as a lumpectomy. Frequently, a number of lymph nodes that are located under the armpit will also be removed by a process called axillary lymph node dissection or by a sentinel node biopsy.
Radiation therapy involves the use of high doses of X-rays to shrink tumors and destroy cancerous cells. Hormone therapy uses an aromatase inhibitor or tamoxifen to change the way in which the body’s hormones cause cancer growth.
Recovery time
The patient’s length of hospital stay after breast cancer surgery will vary depending on the extent of the surgical procedure. Generally, a lumpectomy is done at a clinic or hospital, on an outpatient basis. The patient recovers in the short-stay unit, where they are observed for a period of several hours after the procedure.
A mastectomy or mastectomy accompanied by lymph node removal typically requires hospitalization of one to two days. The length of the recovery period will depend on whether breast reconstruction surgery becomes part of the treatment plan.
