By ALLAN MARIO MEDIANTE
Avoid Hormone Therapy for Menopause
Hormone therapy in menopause shouldn’t be taken long term to prevent chronic diseases.
Studies show its mixed effects on health, raising the risk of some diseases and lowering the risk of others. Whether estrogen is taken by itself or it’s combined with progestin, hormones increase the risk of breast cancer. If women do take hormone therapy during menopause, it should be for the shortest time possible. The best person to talk to about the risks and benefits of hormone therapy for menopause is your doctor.
Tamoxifen and Raloxifene for Women at High Risk
Suiteman Center further says that “although not commonly thought of as a “healthy behavior,” taking the drugs tamoxifen and raloxifene can greatly lower the risk of breast cancer in women who are at high risk of the disease. Approved by the FDA for breast cancer prevention, however, these powerful drugs can have side effects, so they aren’t right for everyone. If you think you’re at high risk, talk to your doctor to see if these drugs may be right for you.”
Find Out Your Family History
Women with a strong family history of cancer can take special steps to protect themselves. That’s why it’s key for women to know their family history. You’re at higher risk if you have a mother or sister who had breast or ovarian cancer. This risk is even higher if your relative was diagnosed at an early age. Having multiple family members (including males) who had breast, ovarian or prostate cancer also raises your risk. A doctor or genetic counselor can help explain your family history of the disease.
Don’t Forget Mammograms
Breast cancer screening with mammograms saves lives. It doesn’t help prevent cancer, but it can help find cancer early when it’s more treatable. Most women should get yearly mammograms starting at age 40. Women at higher risk for breast cancer may need to start getting screened earlier. It’s best to talk to a doctor by age 30 about your risk and whether you’d benefit from earlier screening.
Because regular breast self-exams haven’t proven to be beneficial, they aren’t recommended for screening. Still, knowing your breasts is key. Tell your doctor right away if you notice any changes in how your breasts look or feel,” Siteman Center reminded.
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What are the Treatments and Cure of Breast Cancer:
The American Cancer Society (ACS)Trusted Source, says that “ a person’s outlook can depend on a variety of factors, such as:
- the type of breast cancer; the stage of breast cancer; the tumor grade;; whether the
breast cancer is estrogen-, progesterone-, or HER2-positive or –negative; the type of treatment a person can access Breast cancer is highly treatable in its early stages, and the outlook is generally very positive.
Advanced cancer is not curable in most cases, according to the ACSTrusted Source. Still,
treatment can often help shrink the cancer; slow the growth of the cancer; relieve symptoms; and prolong a person’s life.”
The ACS sayts that “survival rates for breast cancer are higher with early diagnosis and
treatment, it added. A combination of treatments can successfully treat breast cancer. - curing cancer means that treatment has eliminated the cancer from the body, a person does not need more treatment, and doctors do not expect the disease to come back.
-It is rare that a doctor can be sure a person’s cancer will never return. Instead, they may say the cancer is in remission.
-Partial remission means the cancer has shrunk but has not gone away completely. Complete
remission means that the signs and symptoms of cancer are entirely gone and tests do not find any cancer cells.” - The National Cancer Institute states also that a doctor may consider a person’s cancer cured
when they cannot detect the disease after 5 years of complete remission.
It is possible for breast cancer to go into complete remission. This means that breast cancer
treatment can be successful and that the cancer will not return. Medical News Today, one of the fastest growing health information sites in the United States, described in the latest post of its on-line newsletter, the Stages of Breast Cancer - Stage 1– A person with stage 1 breast cancer has cancerous cells that have invaded the surrounding breast tissue. A variety of treatment options can cause the cancer to go into remission at this stage.
- The primary treatment for stage 1 is surgery with radiation, although some people may benefit from additional treatments, such as chemotherapy or hormonal therapy, to decrease the risk of the cancer coming back.
Stage 2 – Individuals with stage 2 breast cancer have cancer cells in their breast tissue, the
nearby lymph nodes, or both.
This stage of cancer is curable with a combination of treatments such as surgery,
chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy.
Such treatment techniques are increasingly recognized as an effective approach for improving a person’s chance of cure or prolonging survival.
Stage 3 – Stage 3 breast cancer occurs when a tumor has developed and spread to several
lymph nodes. It can be harder to treat but is still curable with aggressive treatment.
The treatment can involve a combination of drug-based treatments such as chemotherapy,
targeted cancer drugs, and hormone therapy, as well as surgery. However, the chances of successful treatment depend on the extent of spread, the grade of the cancer, the hormone receptor status of the cancer, and the individual’s response to treatment.
Stage 4 – Metastatic breast cancer occurs at stage 4, when the disease has spread to other
areas of the body, such as the brain, bones, lungs, and liver.
Although this stage of breast cancer is not curable, it is usually treatable.
Current advances in research and medical technology mean that more people can live longer by managing the disease as a chronic condition, focusing on quality of life as a primary goal.
Breast Cancer Patients Need Support
If a person has received a diagnosis of breast cancer, they may feel fearful or overwhelmed.
Speaking with a doctor can be helpful. A doctor may recommend breast cancer support groups or online communities that can offer help, advice, and resources.
The Healthline Breast Cancer app has an online community for people to connect and find
emotional support from others who are having a similar experience. (The National Breast Cancer Foundation)
In the Philippines, breast cancer patients and their families can tap the following institutions:
Novartis in the Philippines which was incorporated in 1996, following the merger of the global
parent companies Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz. Novartis Healthcare Philippines, Inc. is one of the
leading research-based pharmaceutical companies in the country, providing innovative, life-saving medicines to patients.
Novartis works closely with healthcare professionals around the world to support their treatment of patients and collaborate on unmet needs.
According to Novartis, findings show that breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women in the Philippines1, with the highest incidence rate of 17.6%2, accounting for 15% of all new cancer cases and 8% of all cancer deaths in the country. Three out of 100 Filipino women are estimated to develop breast cancer before the age of 75.3
The Philippines had the highest prevalence of breast cancer among 197 countries in 2017.4
More than half (53%) of breast cancers in the country are diagnosed in Stages III and IV, while only 2%–3% of cases are diagnosed in Stage I.5 Novartis’ advocacy states that in a study. “up to one-third of patients with early-stage breast cancer will subsequently develop metastatic diseases. Metastatic breast cancer is the most serious form of the disease and occurs when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the brain, bones or liver. Advanced breast cancer comprises metastatic breast cancer (stage 4) and locally advanced breast cancer (stage 3).7 Survival rates for women living with advanced breast cancer are lower than those for women with earlier-stage disease. The 5-year relative survival rate for stage 3 breast cancer is approximately 72% compared to around 22% for stage 4 breast cancer.8 Despite improvements in breast cancer care, many patients still lack targeted therapeutic options outside of the standard chemotherapy and endocrine therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.”
However, Novartis says that breast cancer is no longer a death sentence, and breast cancer
survivorship has come a long way in recent years. Innovative treatments offering women a greater chance than ever before to live healthy, fulfilling lives following their diagnosis.
This approach has not only improved survival rates, but it has also led to an increased focus on quality of life for breast cancer survivors. By reducing side effects and other complications,
innovative treatments (such as targeted therapy) have given women the opportunity to reclaim their lives after treatment, returning to work, family, and other activities with greater confidence and energy. The healthcare framework is also shifting to prioritize early detection and comprehensive patient care.
National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA) is also helping address gaps in the national
cancer control program by operationalizing the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF), Cancer and
Supportive-Palliative Medicines Access Program (CSPMAP), and Medical Assistance to Indigent
Patients Program (MAIP).
The Department of Health is strengthening the country’s primary healthcare system to realize
the Universal Health Care (UHC). It has its own program – the DoH Konsultayo.
Under this program, cancer patients can avail primary care benefit package of PhilHealth
which includes: medical consultation, X-ray, sputum exam, among others. It will also provide
supplements, additional tests and medicines. Konsultayo program will soon provide organized
breast cancer screening.
Is There Hope After All?
Experts say that it is possible for breast cancer to go into complete remission.
The outlook tends to be better if a person receives treatment in the early stages of the disease. Advanced breast cancer may not be curable. However, treatment can improve symptoms and prolong a person’s life.
It is important to remember that cancer treatments are continuing to improve survival rates,
according to Healthline Media UK Ltd, and Faith Selchick, DNP, AOCNP, Nursing, Oncology.
An article from Health Tourism On-line says that-“Treatment options depend on the type of the cancer, its stage, grade, genetic markers, overall health of the patient, presence of any mutation and menopausal status of the patient. Treatment involves surgical removal of breast cancer, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy.
Surgery: Surgery is a good option for small and early stage breast cancers. Surgical options
include lumpectomy, which is the removal of cancer along with small cancer free healthy tissue around it or mastectomy in which entire breast is removed. Lymph node biopsy or dissection is also done along with surgery to determine the spread of cancer and further action plan. Following mastectomy, reconstructive surgeries are done to create a breast form. They may include silicone breast implants or tissue flap procedures.
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Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy uses high energy x-ray or other particles to kill the cancer cells. It can be given before or after the surgery and is given in cycles for a few weeks.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses powerful medicines which help to destroy the cancer cells. It is given in cycles for a few weeks and usually involves a combination of two or more drugs. In some cases it is given before the surgery to shrink the cancer size. It is helpful in early stage or advanced stage breast cancer to remove left out cancer cells following surgery or destroy the cancer cells as much as possible after surgery.
Hormonal therapy or endocrine therapy: It is helpful in breast cancer cases which are
positive for estrogen or progesterone receptors. Hormonal therapy is used for both early stage and metastatic breast cancer. Medicines such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors are used to inhibit the cancer growth, which is activated by hormones.
Targeted therapy: It works against the cancer proteins, genes or tissue environment that
promotes the cancer growth. Also, called as biological therapy, it changes the process in the cell cycle. Therapy is active against particular receptors for proteins present in the cancer cells. They help to control or slow the cancer growth.
What is the success rate of breast cancer treatment?
The success of breast cancer treatment largely depends on the stage of breast cancer.
Detection of early stage should be immediately followed by treatments such as surgery,
chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Cancer Treatment experts say that early stage of breast cancer is highly treatable.
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies, however, said that the problem, despite
medical advances, is the staggering cost of cancer care. This contributed to high death rates
because Filipino cancer patients shy away from better treatment due to poverty and financial
condition.
“We can beat cancer now. We can save lives. And we are trying our best to make treatment accessible nationwide, especially to those who cannot afford the treatment,” Dr. Marvin Mendoza, of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), has told media earlier.
(This story is published with the support of the Philippine Press Institute, Novartis and ICanServe Foundation.)
