Medications for Breast Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer medications are classified as systemic therapy, a term that means that the medication can be administered orally or intravenously to work on cancer cells located anywhere in your body. This includes chemotherapy, hormone therapies and targeted therapy.
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Chemotherapy Facts
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Chemotherapy may be used after surgery to eradicate any remaining cancer cells, before surgery to shrink large tumors or as the main treatment for advanced breast cancer. Chemotherapy drugs may be administered orally or intravenously.
Chemotherapy Drugs
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Common chemotherapy drugs used to treat breast cancer include cyclophophamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, epirubin, docetaxel, paclitaxil and carboplatin. These medications are usually combined with each other in specific formulations.
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Hormone Therapy Facts
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Hormone therapy is usually used in combination with other treatments to help minimize the risk of your cancer recurring after receiving surgery. It is also useful in treating recurrent breast cancer.
Hormone Therapy Drugs
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Medications include tamoxifen and toremifene (anti-estrogen medications); fulvestrant (which eliminates your body's estrogen receptors); aromatase inhibitors (like letrozole, exemestane and anastrozole, which block an estrogen-producing enzyme in post-menopausal women) and megestrol acetate (similar to progesterone and useful in treating advanced breast cancer).
Targeted Therapy Facts
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Targeted therapy helps work on the specific genes that mutate and cause cancer. They are usually used in combination with chemotherapy.
Targeted Therapy Drugs
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Medications include trastuzumab, lapatinib and bevacizumab. The type of targeted therapy you receive depends on the type of breast cancer you have.
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