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Breast Cancer Treatment: Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or given through a vein with an IV, the drugs travel through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy as a treatment for breast cancer is typically given as a combination of several drugs in cycles over a number of months. Each treatment period is usually followed by a period of recovery time. Different forms of chemotherapy include:

• Adjuvant chemotherapy:
  Chemotherapy is provided following breast-conserving or mastectomy surgery and can reduce the risk of the breast cancer returning.
  
  
• Neoadjuvant chemotherapy:
  Chemotherapy is provided before surgery to shrink large tumors so they can be removed using lumpectomy instead of mastectomy. Many times the chemotherapy drugs given as neoadjuvant therapy are the same drugs given as adjuvant therapy.
  
  
• Chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer:
  If the breast cancer has already spread to areas outside of the breast at the time of diagnosis, chemotherapy may be used as the main treatment. If breast cancer returns after other treatments, chemotherapy may also be provided as the main form of treatment. Factors such as tumor response and how well the chemotherapy is tolerated will determine how long chemotherapy treatments are given.