Content Overview 
- Learn About The Tests Your Doctor May Suggest.
- Summary
- Breast Cancer Is Not What It Used To Be.
- Take Time Making A Treatment Decision
- Commit Yourself To Doing Everything You Can To Beat Your Disease.
- Think About Your Goals
- A General Overview Of What Happens After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis
- Learn About Your Specific Diagnosis.
- Choose The Best Available Cancer Doctor (An Oncologist).
- Decide Who You Want To Make Medical Decisions.
- Consider Available Treatments.
- Ask All Your Questions Before Agreeing To A Treatment Plan.
- Lumpectomy, a Partial Mastectomy or a Mastectomy.
- If A Mastectomy Is Recommended.
- When A Drug Is Recommended.
- If Radiation Is Recommended.
- If Chemotherapy Is Recommended.
- Get A Second Opinion
- Non-traditional Treatments Should Be Complementary - Not Instead Of
- Learn How To Maximize Your Limited Time With A Doctor.
- Drugs And Treatments Do Not Work In A Vacuum.
- Tools That Will Make The Process Easier
- Take Someone With You To Doctors' Appointments
- IF YOUR DIAGNOSIS IS OF METASTATIC BREAST CANCER OR AN UNUSUAL OR A RARE CANCER.
Advanced Breast Cancer: Managing Your Medical Care: Diagnosis To Treatment Decision
A General Overview Of What Happens After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis
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As a general matter:
- Treating breast cancer starts with a biopsy - a surgically removed sample of your particular cancer. A biopsy is the key to making a diagnosis of breast cancer. (If you have not had a biopsy, or if you had a biopsy but have not received the results yet, read: Managing Your Medical Care: Prior To Diagnosis)
- The type of cancer is described in a report known as a Pathology Report. Doctors use it to assess the risk and choose the appropriate treatment.
- Additional tests provide staging - a categorization of your particular situation.
- The first line of treatment is usually surgery to remove the tumor. This is done by a medical specialist known as a surgical oncologist.
- Surgery removes part of the affected breast ("lumpectomy"), more of the breast (a "Quadrantectomy"/"partial mastectomy") or all of the breast ("mastectomy"). Current mastectomies are less disfiguring than previously.
- A lumpectomy or mastectomy may be followed by cosmetic surgery by a plastic surgeon. (This can generally be done during the same operation as the lumpectomy or mastectomy). With a lumpectomy, you are left with a scar and sometimes a dimpling of the skin which can be filled in. With a mastectomy, the breast can be reconstructed. As a general matter, if the initial surgery is covered by health insurance, so is breast reconstruction.
- Surgery is generally followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation.
- Chemotherapy is generally performed by a medical specialist known as a medical oncologist. Radiation by a radiation oncologist.
- Which treatment will be recommended, if any, depends on the type of breast cancer, your staging and receptors.
- Whether or not to undergo these treatments, and if so, which ones, is up to you. The decision is generally made after consultation with medical and/or radiation oncologists by balancing benefits, risks and short and long term side effects.
- Not all cancer treatments harm fertility. However, if the treatment you may receive does include a risk of infertility, fertility preservation treatments are available. The earlier you discuss your options, the greater the chance of maintaining your fertility.
- Treatment is generally followed by a prescription for medication to help keep cancer in check.
- No one doctor provides all the care for a woman with breast cancer. Instead, a team of specialists is involved.
- The team generally includes a surgeon, a specialist in radiation and a specialist in chemotherapy.
- The surgeon typically starts off as the leader of the team.
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