Like most types of cancer, there are certain signs and symptoms to keep an eye out for that help detect breast cancer early. These include (but are not limited to):

Change in size or shape of the breast

It’s important to perform regular self-exams at home and to contact your healthcare provider immediately if you notice any of the above symptoms. A physician can then perform an in-person breast exam and look for any abnormalities that may warrant further testing, including a mammogram, MRI, or biopsy. Detecting breast cancer before it can spread to surrounding areas is key in successfully treating a patient, so make sure that you’re undergoing regular screening procedures and to talk with your physician if you have a family history of breast cancer.

Determining the best course of treatment for breast cancer can depend on several factors and is usually based upon what stage the cancer is currently at and whether or not there is a family history of breast cancer. Once these are determined, a physician can work a team of other qualified medical professionals to create a customized treatment plan to fit a patient’s individual needs. Usually, this will include some combination of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

Surgery may consist of a single or double mastectomy, or the surgical removal of one or both breasts to prevent cancer cells from being able to spread throughout the body. Though all surgery carries inherent risk, a mastectomy (in most cases) is a safe procedure that gives a breast cancer patient the best chance at long-term survivability, as it removes the infected tissue before it can spread. Single and double mastectomy surgeries can be physically and emotionally challenging, so it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider and find a reputable breast cancer treatment center near you that will review your options with you and help design a customized treatment plan for you and your case.

Radiation is then used to kill any additional cancer cells that the initial surgery may not have removed. There are a variety of radiation types that a physician may choose to use in the treatment of breast cancer. Some of these methods include 3D conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT), Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT). Each of these treatment options have individual strengths and uses, usually based upon the dose of radiation that a patient requires and whether or not their cancer has potential to spread to other areas of the body. Radiation is typically performed across multiple sessions over the course of weeks or months and further improves a patient’s chance of long-term survivability.

Lastly, hormone therapy works to reduce the levels of primary and secondary sex hormones in a patient’s body–hormones that breast cancer cells feed on in order to survive and spread. If a patient is at or approaching menopause, a health team may need to customize the course of hormone therapy further for the patient, to compensate for the already fluctuating hormone levels that the body sees around menopause. This is why finding a highly qualified breast cancer center is of vital importance, as an experienced team will be able to take all factors into account when working with you to establish a tailored treatment plan that provides the best chances of recovery and maintaining a high quality of life.