Breast cancer changes the life of the woman and she goes through a whirlwind of emotions, right from diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment. Breast cancer affects the life of a woman in several ways because the treatment begins to change the way they look and feel about their life and body. Women are unable to carry their usual activities and responsibilities with ease because there are many questions and concerns in her mind about cancer and the treatment. Every question that worries her is valid and needs the right answer. So here given below are commonly asked questions that every woman dealing with breast cancer and why they are asked.
What type of cancer do I have?
Different types of cancer are rapidly on the rise in the world today. Hence the woman is keen to know what type of cancer she has and the kind of treatment she must undertake to be cured. Wrong diagnosis and treatment could prove fatal for her so hence the answer to this question must be done after a thorough study of the reports.
What is the stage of my cancer?
The woman needs to know at which cancer stage to begin the treatment as per the diagnosis. The earlier her treatment begins, the higher the rate of survival is. Depending on the stage, she gets an entire picture of the process, medication, treatment, and the result.
Has it spread to other areas of my body?
Sometimes, when cancer has reached an advanced stage, then the woman is worried because she feels cancer has spread to the entire body. She wants to know from the medics whether this cancer has spread to every cell of her body or is it too late to recover and eliminate the cancerous cells.
Will I need more tests before treatment begins? Which ones?
Once breast cancer is diagnosed, certain tests are conducted before the treatment commences. The doctor will work to ascertain the stage of cancer. This is done to determine the procedure of treatment to be followed and the rate of survival Staging tests include imaging tests, such as bone scans or X-rays to know if cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Also, the woman will get a complete idea of the number of tests that she has to go through.
Will I need a specialist(s) for my cancer treatment?
Breast cancer is treated with medication namely chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and hormone therapy with radiation, and with surgery. Each treatment requires to be handled by a different specialist as it all depends on the type and stage of cancer.
So an oncologist treats cancer and provides medical care to the person diagnosed with cancer. A surgical oncologist removes the tumor and nearby tissue during surgery. They also perform certain types of biopsies to help diagnose cancer and radiation oncologist treats cancer using radiation therapy.
Will you help me find a doctor to give me another opinion on the best treatment plan for me?
Sometimes, the woman wants to seek a second opinion and will ask for help from the consulting doctor. A second opinion is always considered before any surgery, like a mastectomy, or a treatment that have side effects, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Women diagnosed with breast cancer often experience a variety of emotions and feel the urgency to begin the treatment as soon as possible. But they want to be certain of their medical condition before proceeding with the treatments, hence the second opinion.
How serious is my cancer?
Like it is said early diagnosis gives better chances of survival. The seriousness increases with delay in the treatment. To know the stage of your cancer is important for the appropriate treatment. The woman needs to know the seriousness of her cancer so that she can be better prepared for the treatment and its outcome.
What are my chances of survival?
Woman with breast cancer will want to know her chances of survival. Knowing and understanding the survival rate will give her a sense of hope. The higher the chances of survival, the sooner she wants to start the treatment.
