WHAT HAPPENS ONCE BREAST CANCER IS DIAGNOSED?

Once cancer of the breast is diagnosed the next step that the physician usually undertakes is to stage the extent of the disease. It is well known that cancer begins at one site and then spreads to other parts of the body. Breast cancer commonly spreads to the lung, liver and bones. Hence a chest x-ray, ultrasound of the liver and a total body bone scan (this is an isotope scan) are often performed. It is however not essential that every patient undergoes a bone scan. The chance of detecting an abnormality in the bones, when there is no pain and when the size of the breast lump is small, is low.

HOW IS BREAST CANCER TREATED?

There are 3 main arms for the treatment of breast cancer viz. Surgery, Radiation therapy and Drugs. Today all three treatment modalities are often used together in what is termed a "Multidisciplinary Approach", so as to optimise results.

Cancer begins at a site and spreads to other regions. Surgery and Radiation therapy are used to treat cancer at the site of origin i.e. breast while drugs are used to combat cancer cells that have spread to other sites in the body eg. Lungs, liver, bone and brain.