About Breast Cancer

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About Breast Cancer > Treatments

Treatments

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Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, breast reconstruction. Today, breast cancer treatment is more complicated than ever. And often there are more choices than you might expect. We're here to help.

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Our medical experts break down each treatment into its components, so you better understand your options and the questions to ask to get the answers you need. Whether you're looking to better understand your path, validate your choices, prepare for treatment, join a clinical trial, or just visualize the road ahead, we are here for you.

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Featured articles

Surgery

Breast reconstruction

Chemotherapy

Radiation therapy

Targeted therapy

Hormonal therapy

Immunotherapy

Clinical trials
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Next-generation sequencing (NGS) tests

11/18/24 | BY: Pallav K. Mehta

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a testing technology that uses computers to look at hundreds of genes in cancer cells. The results can help guide treatment decisions.

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 | 7 Min. Read

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests

11/15/24 | BY: Regina Hampton

Some of the most important breast cancer treatment decisions are based on immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests; hormone receptor status, HER2 status, and in some cases, PD-L1 status.

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 | 7 Min. Read

FISH tests

11/15/24 | BY: Regina Hampton

A FISH test is a lab test performed on tissue taken from a biopsy or breast cancer surgery, that can confirm breast cancer’s HER2 status if other test results are inconclusive.

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 | 5 Min. Read

Complete blood count (CBC) tests

11/04/24 | BY: Lori B. Ranallo

Complete blood count (CBC) tests can check for anemia, infection, and other side effects of breast cancer treatment. CBC testing can also help confirm signs of cancer spread.

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 | 4 Min. Read

Blood chemistry tests

11/04/24 | BY: Lori B. Ranallo

Blood chemistry tests can tell how well your organs are working and how breast cancer treatment affects your body.

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 | 3 Min. Read

Circulating tumor cell (CTC) tests

11/04/24 | BY: Lori B. Ranallo

Circulating tumor cell (CTC) tests can help monitor whether treatment is working or if breast cancer has metastasized.

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 | 2 Min. Read

Targeted therapy for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer

10/14/24 | BY: Sameer Gupta, Pallav K. Mehta

Targeted therapies are treatments that target specific proteins or markers on or within cancer cells that help cancer cells grow. There are many different kinds of targeted therapy, including CDK 4/6 inhibitors.

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 | 12 Min. Read |

Treatment for metastatic breast cancer

10/14/24 | BY: Douglas Yee, Pallav K. Mehta

The goal of metastatic breast cancer treatment is to manage the disease while limiting side effects. Learn about available treatments and when they are used.

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 | 22 Min. Read |

Financial matters, health insurance, and work

10/07/24 | BY: Aimee Hoch

No one is prepared for a breast cancer diagnosis. Among the many things that can be unexpected and difficult to manage is how much medical treatment and care will cost.

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 | 8 Min. Read |

Dealing with health insurance coverage denial

10/07/24 | BY: Aimee Hoch

There may come a time when your insurance company denies covering a treatment, procedure, or medicine your doctor recommended. Here are steps you can take if that happens.

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 | 1 Min. Read |
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About LBBC

Reviewed and updated: June 30, 2022

Reviewed by: LBBC Staff

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Living Beyond Breast Cancer is a national nonprofit organization that seeks to create a world that understands there is more than one way to have breast cancer. To fulfill its mission of providing trusted information and a community of support to those impacted by the disease, Living Beyond Breast Cancer offers on-demand emotional, practical, and evidence-based content. For over 30 years, the organization has remained committed to creating a culture of acceptance — where sharing the diversity of the lived experience of breast cancer fosters self-advocacy and hope. For more information, learn more about our programs and services.