Radiation Therapy High energy x-rays are used to destroy cancer cells that might still be present in the breast tissue. Radiation does NOT cause hair loss, vomiting or diarrhea. Chemotherapy Even when a lump is small, cells may have broken off and spread outside the breast. Doctors can use chemotherapy to destroy them, using either a single drug or a combination of drugs. The drugs are often injected into the bloodstream through an intravenous needle that is inserted into a vein, but sometimes they are administered by pill.
Treatment can range from two months to two years.
If lab tests show that your tumor relied on your natural hormones to grow, any remaining cancer cells may continue to be stimulated by your body's hormones. Hormonal therapy can prevent your body's hormones from reaching any remaining cancer cells. Tamoxifen is one of the most common drugs used for hormonal therapy, taken daily as a pill. Although benefits are generally considered to far outweigh risks, you should be aware that tamoxifen use can increase risks for cancer of the uterus and, rarely, blood clots for patients also undergoing chemotherapy. Biological Therapy Antibodies are proteins made by the body's own natural immune system that are directed against foreign and infectious agents, called antigens.