So, you’ve been diagnosed. The reality has settled in, and the deep conversations have been had.
It’s decided that you must take the next step: the dreaded treatment.
But there’s still a few options. Let’s do a quick run through them all, and hear from some special ladies:
Chemotherapy (the biggie)
It’s a chemical injected into the bloodstream (cytotoxin, if you’re feeling fancy) that targets cancer cells but can knock out a few healthy ones on its way. Sometimes it can be up to eight different drugs, but new combos are being tested every day.
You may think chemo and images of bald women with bandanas come to mind, but modern chemotherapy generally only causes mild problems. Usually, this is after a surgical removal of a tumour.
Sarah J. from Winchester described her experience as “draining, but it made [her] feel productive.”
Radiotherapy
Here, high energy radiation is employed to destroy cancer cells. Radiotherapy is most used in very early stages (check our Instagram to see the signs) or after a wide spread. There’s two main types:
Curative radiotherapy, to cure cancer completely, or
Palliative radiotherapy, to relieve some symptoms.
There’s a bunch of other types like implants, injections, capsules and drinks, proving it to be a very diverse treatment, indeed. Side effects are certain here and they aren’t nice. Lots of aches and pains can happen in your skin and rear end, and hair loss too, but most of them go away after treatment stops. Yay.
Melissa S. from Nottingham says her palliative therapy was “more of a headache than raising three sons, but inevitably just as rewarding.”
Hormone therapy
This blocks the messenger hormones sent to the cancer to stop its growth. Breast cancer, specifically, is very receptive to this type of therapy- and so is prostate, ovarian, and womb/uterine cancers.
Now it’s time for the drawbacks. For men, it can lower testosterone, affect erections, and mood swings. Women can be met with early menopause and digestive issues. Osteoporosis is also at a much higher risk; it can make your bones more brittle and susceptible to breakage.
Jenny B. from Bristol began hormone therapy for her breast cancer and summed up her experience as “a punch in the tit.”
Stem cell rescue
Stem cells are taken from your or a donor’s bloodstream to replace blood cells destroyed by high doses of chemo or other therapies. They’re in the bone marrow- the spongy bit inside the bones- and can develop into many types of useful new cells.
Conditioning will come beforehand and that can be targeted drugs or whole-body radiotherapy. Afterwards the cells will come through a drip into your bloodstream and will begin to heal the cancer damaged area.
(Heads up: this isn’t used for breast cancer but it's good to know)
Susie B. from Brighton’s main memory of going through stem cell transplant was: “the massive needle shoved in my knee, feeling like a motherf***er.”
There are dozens of other treatments out there, and we must trust that the perfect one will be found for you. Have hope.
Many thanks to Sarah, Jenny, Melissa and Susie for their contributions.
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