Breast cancer treatment at GenesisCare

There can be early warning signs of breast cancer, and these can vary from person to person. However, in many cases, there are no obvious signs or symptoms. The most common symptom is a lump or mass in the breast. Seeing a doctor for an evaluation will help you determine whether something you notice is cause for concern. It is important to remember that other, benign conditions may cause changes to the breasts, and very often these relate to a simple infection or harmless cyst.

• Swelling in all or part of the breast
• Irritation or dimpling on the skin
• Pain in the breast or nipple
• Nipple turning inwards (retraction)
• Redness or scaliness
• A lump of mass in the breast
• Nipple discharge
• A lump or swelling in the underarm lymph nodes

Don’t worry if you feel a lump in your breast. Most women have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts all the time, and most breast lumps turn out to be benign (not cancer). There are a number of possible causes of non-cancerous breast lumps, including normal hormonal changes, a benign breast condition, or an injury. When detected and treated early, breast cancer has a high survival rate.

When breast cancer is detected early, women have a much greater chance of being treated successfully and for most women the cancer will not come back after treatment. Tests to diagnose breast cancer may include:

Mammogram

In most cases, breast cancer is diagnosed using a mammogram, a type of X-ray. This is the best method to detect breast cancer early for women over the age of 50. A mammogram can find changes that are too small to be felt during physical examination. If you have symptoms such as a lump but the mammogram is normal it is still recommended you see your doctor.

National screening programs

The aim of screening programs is to pick up early cancers in healthy individuals, who do not have symptoms. Mammography is the screening tool used for the early detection of breast cancer. The government’s national screening program, BreastScreen Australia, targets women aged 50 to 74 years as 75 per cent of all breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50.

• Women aged 50-74 are invited to undergo free mammograms every two years
• Women aged 40-49 and 75 and over are also eligible to receive free mammograms but do not receive an invitation to attend
• Women aged over 74 can also be screened free of charge but it is recommended that you discuss options with your GP

Ultrasound/MRI scan

If a mammogram detects any breast changes you may have an ultrasound scan and sometimes may have an MRI scan.

Biopsy

In some cases, you may need a biopsy, where a sample of tissue is taken for examination under a microscope.

Other scans

If cancer is detected in your breast, you may have other scans to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body, such as a CT scan, bone scan or PET scan.

Before treatment starts, your Radiation Oncologist will review your health record, talk about your general health and diagnosis, explain the treatment process, options, as well as potential side-effects. At the completion of your consultation, arrangements will be made for a CT Simulation appointment.  If you have any life events or family priorities coming up, please tell us so that we can build your care plan around them.

It’s normal to find it difficult to remember all the information you are given. It’s a good idea to bring someone with you to appointments or keep a journal to help you remember what the doctor says.

The CT Simulation appointment involves the radiation therapists gathering the information required by the doctor to be able to prescribe treatment. This appointment can take up to an hour. Your radiation therapist will help to position you for a CT scan. The positioning varies depending on the exact area of the breast you are having treated. You may be required to have your arms up above your head, on your chest or by your side. It is important that you are comfortable in your scanning position as this is the position you will lie in during your planning and treatment sessions.

As part of the simulation procedure, marks may be drawn directly onto your skin to outline the treatment area. These marks are made with a special skin marker and will come off quite easily. Some of you may have a few very small permanent tattoo dots placed on your skin; these will enable the radiation therapists to replicate your daily treatments.

Using images obtained from your CT scan, together with any additional scans, we will create a personalised treatment plan to treat your cancer.