PLANNING WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Atreatments inhibitors therapies The combination (Herceptin like fter treatment are radiotherapy, (tamoxifen Arimidex) chemotherapy, surgery, of treatments options and and the and hormonal Perjeta). aromatase main targeted you are offered them cancer will as and well depend the as order what on in your you which particular want. you have you’re It’s a feeling lot to take stressed in, especially and anxious. when Your breast-care team should explain your diagnosis and the proposed treatment but it’s also worth remembering that you can decide how much you want to know. ‘It’s a very personal decision – some people want to know everything, others find it easier to just get on with it – but that is your choice,’ says Sally Greenbrook, policy manager at Breast Cancer Now. ‘Remember that not everyone experiences side-effects to the same degree but if you do suffer badly, talk to your team and see what can be done; nobody needs to suffer in silence.’ You will also need time to think about what you want to do and may want to talk it through with your family, your GP or your breast-care nurse. RADIOTHERAPY is often given after surgery and/or chemotherapy, and usually involves a daily treatment five days a week over three weeks. The amount and the number of sessions will be tailored to your particular breast cancer. Side-effects include reddening of the skin, burning (like sunburn) and tiredness and tend to go within a few weeks of treatment finishing. See Ask Sarah on page 93 for news of a different type of radiotherapy. CHEMOTHERAPY. Most regimes involve two or three different drugs because research has shown that a combination of drugs that work in slightly different ways is more effective than just one. All chemotherapy has side-effects ranging from nausea and tiredness to sore mouth, weight gain and hair-loss. Agreeing to chemotherapy – and the potential side-effects – can feel very difficult, especially as most women feel perfectly well when they do. HORMONE TREATMENTS. Seven-in-10