What is Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Treatment?

Breast cancer chemotherapy treatment is where chemotherapy drugs are used to kill or slow down the growth and spread of cancerous cells that tend to rapidly grow and multiply in numbers. Using a combination of chemotherapy drugs is preferred by doctors over single agent or drug treatment due to its efficacy on treating the cancer. Although we are talking about breast cancer chemotherapy treatment here, it wouldn’t be righteous if I don’t mention that treatment for breast cancer with chemotherapy does not have a great survival rate. Please note that those diagnosed with breast cancer must thoroughly understand what to expect and what could be the possible consequences of breast cancer chemotherapy treatment. The efficacy of the treatment also depends upon the stage of cancer the patient is in and other factors. For e.g. a couple of years ago Reuters had a report stating that a study conducted by U.S researchers suggests that the chemotherapy helps improve the survival rate in post menopausal women.

Chemotherapy drugs for breast cancer are either given intravenously or orally. After entering into the bloodstream, these drugs reach the cancerous cells after traveling throughout the body. As it goes through the whole system, chemotherapy is referred to as a systemic treatment. Depending on the stage of cancer, different chemotherapy treatments are administered.

What are the various Chemotherapy Drugs for Breast Cancer?

A combination of chemotherapy drugs is preferred over single agent chemotherapy treatment because of its chemotherapy efficacy. When a combination of two or more chemotherapy drugs is administered, it is called as a chemotherapy regimen. Breast cancer chemotherapy regimens may vary from case to case. However, some of the most commonly followed regimens to treat cancer are as follows:

• AT = Adriamycin + Taxotere
• CMF = Cytoxan + Methotrexate + Flourouracil
• FAC = Flourouracil + Adriamycin + Cytoxan
• AC = Adriamycin + Cytoxan (with taxotere or without)
• TAC = Taxotere + Adriamycin + Cytoxan
• CEF = Cytoxan + Ellence + Flourouracil
• CAF = Cytoxan + Adriamycin + Flourouracil

These were just some of the commonly followed breast cancer chemotherapy regimens. The decision to choose a regimen depends a lot on the stage of the cancer, the characteristics of it and the overall health of the patient to ensure if he / she could take the respective treatment. Also, depending on the nature of breast cancer, Herceptin or Trastuzumab which is a targeted therapy drug could also be used with some of the chemotherapy regimens as a combination. These drugs are either given intravenously or orally.

What are the Side Effects of Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Treatment?

Although the side effects vary from individual to individual, some side effects may more or less be the same. At least one of the following side effects may be noticed in patients undergoing breast cancer chemotherapy treatment as they are the most commonly noticed side effects of breast cancer chemotherapy.

• Low blood cell counts or anemia
• Issues relating to fertility
• Menopause and / or menopausal symptoms
• Hair changes including hair loss
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Smell and taste changes
• Diarrhea
• Throat sores
• Mouth sores
• Memory loss
• Fluctuating weight
• Numbness or tingling in palms and feet
• High risk of infections
• Vaginal dryness

These were some of the commonly noticed side effects of breast cancer chemotherapy treatment. Please note that the intention was only to make you cognizant of the side effects and it was only highlighted as they have been noticed in different cases. Medications and treatment are available to overcome the mentioned ill effects of the treatment. Some of the other side effects that are less common but more severe in nature include vision problems, heart problem and bone loss.

In most cases, to treat breast cancer, the tumor needs to be removed first. So, the most favored treatment method for breast cancer is surgery. It is then followed by breast cancer chemotherapy treatment. This is to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer in the patient as it has a tendency to reappear.