Breast Cancer

• You will find out within a few days of a biopsy if you have cancer.
• The extent of the breast cancer will not be known until after the local surgery.
• You will meet with your surgeon beforehand. Ask as many questions as you like
• You will be asked to sign a consent form. Read it carefully.
• You may be asked to donate your own blood in case of a blood transfusion.
• You will be asked if you are taking any medication.
• You will also meet with your anaesthesiologist and post-operative nurse.
• Depending on the surgery required you may become an outpatient or you may be admitted to hospital.
• If you are admitted to hospital your length of stay will be determined by the extent of the surgery, your overall health and any complications that may arise.
• The length of the operation will depend on how complicated the surgery is. A mastectomy can take between two and four hours.

• After surgery you will have a dressing and some form of drainage from the breast.
• The drainage tubes usually remain in place for up to three weeks.
• You will be asked to move your arm about to prevent stiffness.
• Most women do not suffer much pain but there may be numbness or a stretching feeling.

• Anti-cancer drugs may be given orally (by mouth) or intravenously. The drugs are designed to fight cancer in any part of the body. Chemotherapy significantly reduces the recurrence of breast cancer.
• The side effects, if there any, depend on the type of drugs used and the length of treatment.
• Temporary side effects include fatigue, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, hair loss and occasionally mouth ulcers.
• There may also be an increased risk of infection or bruising.

• This is a post-surgery treatment using high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. It is effective in destroying any remaining cancer cells after surgery.
• Side effects include swelling in the breast area, sunburn and tiredness. These changes will go away within 5-12 months.

Because Oestrogen is thought to promote certain breast cancers, anti-oestrogen drugs are used to lower the natural oestrogen produced by the ovaries. The most common one is Tamoxifen and it is usually taken for up to five years.

Alternative or complimentary medicines

You should consult a qualified herbalist or homeopath regarding alternative treatments. Many of them can be taken with standard medication.

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