How to treat breast cancer in an integrated way?

  Integrated treatment guided by the biological characteristics of breast cancer has led to an unprecedented improvement in the outcome of breast cancer treatment, which not only greatly prolongs the survival period after treatment, but also enables a significant proportion of patients to keep the affected breast and improve the quality of life after surgery. Comprehensive breast cancer treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy before and after surgery, post-surgical radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, targeted drug therapy and other treatments. Each treatment in the comprehensive treatment requires the doctor to decide whether to do it or not and how to do it based on the clinical diagnosis and pathological examination results (the results of pathological analysis reflecting the biological characteristics of cancer).  Surgery The decision of surgery and the timing of surgery is based on the size and location of the primary lesion, the presence or absence of lymph node metastasis, and the treatment goal.  Pre-operative chemotherapy (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) The decision of whether to do it, what regimen to do and the course of treatment is based on the results of pre-operative pathological biopsy, clinical staging and treatment goals.  Post-operative chemotherapy The decision of whether to do it, what regimen to do and the course of treatment is based on the patient’s age, post-operative pathological examination stage, pathological type and biological index. Endocrine therapy The decision is based on the results of the post-surgical estrogen and progesterone receptor (ERPR) test. A positive ERPR test is required, while a negative ERPR test can be left out; the drug regimen is determined by the patient’s grade and menopausal status.  Targeted drug therapy The decision is based on the results of the post-surgical Her-2 test, which is required for a positive test and may not be required for a negative test.  Other treatments Of great value is Chinese medicine treatment, which is often ignored by doctors and patients. Chinese medicine treatment has a great role in reducing chemotherapy reactions and toxic side effects, enhancing the effect of chemotherapy, consolidating the effect of surgical treatment, and preventing recurrence and metastasis after surgery. The treatment is carried out by the doctor based on the patient’s disease condition, physical identification and clinical evidence. Adding together each of the treatment items that the patient needs to do is the comprehensive treatment plan for that patient, which requires the patient’s active cooperation to complete in order to achieve the best results.  The main reason for the low level of breast cancer treatment in China is that surgery is the most important treatment, as long as the lesion is removed, everything will be fine.  2.Radiotherapy has more side effects and pains, and patients often find it difficult to persist and give up voluntarily, which has a great impact on the treatment effect and requires patients to understand and insist on completing it.  3.After finishing all the items that need to be treated, patients think that they do not need any more treatment in the future.