Tips: Yao Beina dying of breast cancer has drawn wide attention from the public. However, many patients still have some misunderstandings of breast cancer treatment. Experts noted that patients should avoid two blind areas when it comes to breast cancer treatment.
The cure rate of breast cancer can be up to 95% if it can be detected at early stage. However, many patients have missed the optimal opportunity for treatment for fear of the side effects of chemotherapy; while others stubbornly believe that mastectomy would cure the disease for good and obviate the need to receive endocrine therapy. Experts noted the two above-mentioned understandings should be avoided during breast cancer treatment.
Misunderstanding 1 Say no to chemotherapy for the sake of beauty
Breast cancer is a systemic disease ever since from its early onset. It takes more than three years and 30 times of cell doubling for a single breast cancer cell to develop into a mass about 1cm in diameter. Hence, systemic chemotherapy is an indispensable part for breast cancer treatment. Years’ of practice have evidenced that to do chemotherapy after operation can evidently reduce the recurrence rate and chemotherapy should start as early as possible after operation. Generally speaking, six cycles of chemotherapy is needed.
However, many patients worry that they cannot tolerate the sufferings caused by chemotherapy and hence lose confidence in the follow-up treatment and in their life; others are worried about the possible hair loss caused by chemotherapy, which even more enhanced female’s unwillingness to do chemotherapy.
Nevertheless, chemotherapy is able to cause primary tumor or metastases shrink or disappear by preventing tumor cell division and proliferation or by promoting tumor cell apoptosis. During the procedure, some rapidly proliferated normal cells, such as hematopoietic cells, gastrointestinal epithelial cells and epidermis cells might be wrongly attacked, which might cause the most common side effects of chemotherapy, such as low white blood cell, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, etc.
Patients should have a correct understanding of the benefits and the side effects brought by chemotherapy. Patient don’t have to worry about the side effects of chemotherapy as most of the side effects are temporary and will disappear gradually after the chemotherapy is done. In general, most patients can complete 6 cycles of chemotherapy with the dosage of chemotherapy drug that is applicable to fellow countrymen.
Misunderstanding 2 Say no to endocrine therapy and mini-invasive treatment and only believe in operation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Breast cancer has high recurrence rate though it is one of the tumors that can receive the best therapeutic effects. It is reported that the overall recurrence rate of breast cancer in China is over 40%; the treatment difficulty will significantly increase and patients’ life will be under direct threaten once recurrence and metastases are detected.
Authoritative experts in China noted that five years after surgery for breast cancer is the dangerous period for recurrence. The recurrence is even higher within 1-3 years after surgery. Yao Beina, the singer rising from Voice of China show, has had breast cancer recurrence in this period.
At present, international medical community advocates breast cancer treatment should combine local treatment with systemic comprehensive treatment, including operation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine therapy. In addition, there are mini-invasive treatments for cancer, including argon-helium cryosurgery, intervention therapy, NanoKnife, etc. To receive endocrine therapy for 5 years or more after operation can effectively suppress the effect of estrogen on tumor, reduce the recurrence rate and increase the cure rate after operation. She reminded that patients should be ready for a long-stretched battle and avoid intermittent use of medication. Otherwise, the treatment for cancer would be even more difficult and the previous efforts would be wasted once tumor is found to have recurred.
Moreover, breast cancer patients should know well of their condition. They should receive standard endocrine therapy as early as possible and seize the key period for treatment, namely 1-5 years after surgery, in order to avoid tumor recurrence. They cannot miss the optimal opportunity for treatment just because of their misunderstanding of disease.