What treatments are there for breast cancer

Visit the sites listed below for more information. Complementary and alternative medicine are medicines and health practices that are not standard cancer treatments. Complementary medicine is used in addition to standard treatments, and alternative medicine is used instead of standard treatments.

Meditation, yoga, and supplements like vitamins and herbs are some examples. Many kinds of complementary and alternative medicine have not been tested scientifically and may not be safe. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits before you start any kind of complementary or alternative medicine.

Choosing the treatment that is right for you may be hard. Talk to your cancer doctor about the treatment options available for your type and stage of cancer. Stage II cancers are treated with either breast-conserving surgery BCS; sometimes called lumpectomy or partial mastectomy or mastectomy.

Women who have BCS are treated with radiation therapy after surgery. Women who have a mastectomy are typically treated with radiation if the cancer is found in the lymph nodes. Some patients who have a SLNB that shows cancer in a few lymph nodes may not have the rest of their lymph nodes removed to check for more cancer.

In these patients, radiation may be discussed as a treatment option after mastectomy. If you were initially diagnosed with stage II breast cancer and were given treatment such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy before surgery, radiation therapy might be recommended if cancer is found in the lymph nodes at the time of the mastectomy. A doctor who specializes in radiation, called a radiation oncologist , may review your case to discuss whether radiation would be helpful to you.

In some cases, breast reconstruction can be done during the surgery to remove the cancer. But if you will need radiation after surgery, it is better to wait to get reconstruction until after the radiation is complete.

Systemic therapy is recommended for some women with stage II breast cancer. Some systemic therapies are given before surgery neoadjuvant therapy , and others are given after surgery adjuvant therapy. Neoadjuvant treatments are often a good option for women with large tumors, because they can shrink the tumor before surgery, possibly enough to make BCS an option.

In some cases, systemic therapy will be started before surgery and then continued after surgery. To help decide which women with stage II hormone receptor-positive, Her2-negative breast cancer will benefit from chemotherapy, a gene panel test such as Oncotype DX may be done on the tumor sample.

Cytokines production by macrophages has shown to increase by Commercial preparations of Echinacea juice. Less clear effects on T-cell and B-cell 7 stimulation and propagation are found. Several ingredients of Echinacea are reflected to show a role in its special sound effects on the immune system Luettig et al.

Garlic Allium sativum , for hundreds of years it has been used for treating many illnesses. It involves hundred or more than hundred therapeutically useful secondary metabolites, for example, alliin, alliinase, and allicin.

Alliin, an amino acid, is present in garlic oil that is transformed to allicin after its rhizomes are crumpled. An originator of Sulfur comprising compound is allicin, which is responsible for odor and its therapeutic properties. Garlic oil contains another Sulfur holding substance, Ajoene. Ajoene delays the cancer production while selenium as antioxidant.

Bioflavonoids, cyanidin and quercetin, are also found in garlic with antioxidant properties Galeone et al. Mechanism behind anti-tumor activity stimulating the lymphocytes and macrophages is that they kill the cancerous cells and interferes with tumor cells metabolism Winston, see Fig.

Studies have shown that the number of suppressor T cells is increased by garlic and converts the lymphocytes in that form which is cytotoxic to cancerous cells. Metastases are prevented by altering the adhesion and attachment of cancerous cells, circulating in the blood vessels.

Researchers have found that the ripened extract of garlic is also helpful to shield the propagation of several types of cancers such as colon, stomach, breast, lungs and bladder. Complications of chemotherapy and radiotherapy could be lessen with garlic extract. Scientific name of turmeric is Curcuma longa. Turmeric gives dark yellow color to food. Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric, is present in its rhizome and rootstock. Curcumin is known to have anticancerous activity due to its phenolic substances.

Propagation of lung, breast, skin and stomach cancer is limited by turmeric Winston, see Fig. Eicosanoids, for example prostaglandin E-2 PGE-2 , production is altered by curcumin, an antioxidant agent. It has also anti-inflammatory action in human. Curcumin has been revealed to have inhibitory action in all phases of cancer growth which are initiation, promotion, and propagation. Nitrosamine production is inhibited by turmeric; it results in increase natural antioxidant action of the body.

Amount of glutathione and other non-protein sulphahydryls is increased by curcumin, and they act directly on different enzymes Sakkara et al. Scientific name of Burdock is Arctium lappa. Its root is found and used in Europe and Asia. There are many therapeutic uses of burdock in herbal remedies.

Its root has gummy texture and sweet taste. In old times burdock was useful in arthritis, tonsillitis and measles, but nowadays it has been found that burdock has antitumor activity. It contains some active ingredients that alter the changes in oncogenes. Burdock has been utilized in treatment of breast tumor, ovary, bladder, malignant melanoma, lymphoma and pancreatic cells. It relieves the pain, lessens the tumor size and enhances the survival phase. To withstand the fast propagation and division of cells, a huge amount of nutrients is required during cancer.

But cancer cells can live in stressed circumstances for example with low oxygen and less amount of carbohydrates, because tumor cells have high tolerance to stressed conditions.

Burdock seeds contain an active ingredient called Arctigenin. Arctigenin, has shown the ability to remove the tumor cells with low nutrients Tamayo et al. Burdock root consists of flavonoid type and polyphenol anti-oxidant, and they may have oppressive effect on tumor development. Normal body cells are protected from toxic substances and lessen the cells mutation, by extract of root. Burdock contains the most important active ingredient that is known as, Tannin, a phenolic compound.

It stimulates macrophages action, limits cancer propagation and retains immune-modulatory properties Potter, These aromatic plants are used as dyeing agents for example saffron, annatto and paprika. Consumption of vegetables and fruits has been linked with less expansion of different forms of tumor. Intake of carotenoids through diet also decreases the occurrence of tumor Donaldson, Scientifically green tea is known as Camellia sinensis.

Anticancer activity is attributed by polyphenolics compounds. Researchers have revealed that green tea possesses antitumor and anti-mutagenic activity. Studies on animal were performed resulted that green tea polyphenols restricts the cancer cells division and stimulate the necrosis and apoptosis of tumor cells Zaveri, While function of immune system is stimulated by tea catechins, they also inhibit the metastases and angiogenesis in tumor cells.

Some studies have shown the protective results of green tea in counter o colon and stomach cancer. Tea and their primary catechins reduce the risk of tumor in number of organs of the body. Harmful effects of radiation can be lessened with green tea. All beneficial effects of tea are due to its antioxidant activity Keum et al. Scientific name of ginseng is Panax ginseng. It is lasting plant mainly grows in China, Korea, Japan and Russia.

Part used of this plant is dried root. It has many therapeutic uses including cancer. Active substances of ginseng have shown that it reduces or blocks the development of tumor necrosis factor in the skin of mouse, blocks the propagation and metastases of cancerous cells, stimulate cell differentiation, and level of interferon. An investigation was also carried out in Korea, recommended that ginseng reduces the cancer risk in human. As related to fresh sliced ginseng, its juice or tea, the most potent and active type of ginseng is its extract and dried powder for prevention of cancer threat.

By interrupting the DNA synthesis ginseng retains the tumor development. Beneficial effects of active compound of P. Scientific name of black cohosh is Cimicifuga recemosa.

It is a shrub, found in the eastern forests of North America Rockwell et al. Patients of breast cancer most commonly used Black cohosh during radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It has been used by Native American since many centuries for the treatment of menopausal signs, pre-menstrual discomfort and dysmenorrhea. It also induces the abortion-like problems. A large range of preparation of black cohosh is present in drug stores. Herbalists have shown that they are safe and effective therapy for menopausal indications.

Females, who have been suggested to escape the Hormonal Replacement Therapy HRT by their physician, it has been used by those women. Although the vigorous principles of black cohosh have not been known, there is assumption of triterpene glycosides to be a vital component, but trace amount of resins and caffeic, isoferulic and fukinolic is also present.

Ambiguities are found about the estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity of black cohosh. Various research studies have contradictory results, some studies have shown that it enhances or lesson the cancer cell production in culture. Regular breast cancer screenings can detect breast cancer years before symptoms develop. Learn about the types of screenings and how often to get them. We review the main items included in a breast biopsy result, what they mean, and what to do next.

Nearly half of people being treated for breast cancer use cannabis to help with treatment side effects, but many of them don't tell their doctor. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Breast Cancer. CAM treatment 1: Special diet. CAM treatment 2: Antioxidant supplements. CAM treatment 3: Mind, body, and soul therapies. CAM treatment 4: Massage therapy.

CAM treatment 5: Acupuncture. CAM treatment 6: Biofeedback. What a traditional treatment plan for breast cancer consists of. Talk with your doctor. The bottom line. Osteoarthritis Alternative Treatments. Read this next. Lymphoma Alternative Treatments. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. Medically reviewed by Kerry Boyle D. Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M.