According to medical data, African American women are not only more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, but the disease is most likely to be caught at an advanced stage. So, what should you know about hormonal therapy treatment?
When it comes to late-stage breast cancer, there are different types of treatments that doctors can employ based on the defining characteristics of the breast cancer that you have.
It is important to know what to expect with hormonal therapy, which is one such treatment option if you’re going to undertake this program.
What Exactly Is Hormonal Therapy?
Hormonal therapy is a form of specialized treatment for breast cancer that is caused or worsened by the naturally occurring hormones in the body.
Before prescribing this type of treatment, your doctor will need to carry out hormone-based tests on a sample of your tumor.
If hormones are present, your breast cancer will be categorized as either estrogen receptor positive (ER positive) or progesterone receptor positive (PR positive).
With this information, your doctor can then determine which drugs will work best for you.
These drugs will reduce the size of the tumor, prevent the spread of the tumor to other parts of the body, prevent the growth of tumors that have already spread, or prevent the recurrence of the disease for persons who have already undergone treatment.