You can’t just focus on treatment when fighting with breast cancer

 You can’t just focus on treatment when fighting with breast cancer.   In the fight against breast cancer, in addition to traditional treatment, the concept of “full course management” must be introduced.

With the continuous development and progress of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment technology, more and more patients are achieving clinical cure. Breast cancer is not so much a cancer as it is a chronic disease.

It is precisely because of this that, for breast cancer, we cannot simply focus on its treatment, but introduce the concept of “full course management”, covering the whole process of disease screening, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and psychological trauma repair, from a broader perspective. Pay attention to this disease at the level of

Early screening and early diagnosis

The 5-year survival rate of patients with early breast cancer after surgery has reached more than 90%, and the vast majority of patients can be said to have achieved tumor cure. Therefore, early detection is a key factor related to breast cancer treatment and prognosis.

Opportunistic screening is generally recommended to start at the age of 40, but for some people at high risk of breast cancer, the starting age for screening can be advanced to 20.

The recommended age for population census is 50-69 years old.

The screening method is mainly molybdenum target every 1-2 years, and it is recommended to combine with clinical physical examination. The breast tissue of young women is denser, and breast B-ultrasound can better detect early signs of lesions.

For women with a clear genetic predisposition for breast cancer, in the early screening of routine imaging, it can also be explained through the breast cancer genetic consultation clinic of the hospital, drawing a family map based on the prevalence of family history, and adding genetic testing and other means And to assess the risk of occurrence or recurrence of the disease, and propose individualized early breast cancer screening programs and rationalized intervention measures.

Although treatment is important, recovery is equally important

Formal scientific treatment is important, but postoperative rehabilitation should also not be underestimated.

Breast cancer rehabilitation is very diverse, including upper limb function recovery, exercise, diet, etc., which are all very important. In addition to improving patients’ compliance with standardized treatment, it can also ensure patients’ good treatment results and quality of life.

Functional rehabilitation of affected arm

The care of the affected arm is long-term and multifaceted. First of all, try to keep the blood circulation of the affected arm as smooth as possible to avoid skin damage and infection.

Try not to measure blood pressure and infusion in the arm of the affected side as much as possible, and do not use chemotherapy in the peripheral blood vessels of the affected limb.

If the affected limb is injured, the wound should be cleaned and then wrapped with sterile gauze to prevent infection. In addition, rehabilitation exercises for the upper limb function of the affected side can be done under the guidance of a doctor.

Try to avoid lifting heavy objects on the affected arm to reduce the risk of hand swelling in the future. If you find that your arm becomes red, unusually hard, or severely edema, you should see a doctor in time.

Avoid wearing or wearing things that will affect the movement of hands and arms, such as jewelry or tight sleeves.

Diet nutrition

There is no evidence to prove that a certain type of food diet is related to the recurrence or metastasis of breast cancer, but placenta and its products and health products with unknown ingredients are indeed contraindicated, and dietary supplements (such as multivitamins) are not recommended.

The American Cancer Society mainly recommends a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and soy products. The American School of Public Health recommends that adult breast cancer patients drink at least 2 to 3 glasses of vegetable juice and 1.5 to 2 glasses of fruit juice a day. Some observational studies believe that high intake of vegetables and coarse grains in breast cancer survivors can reduce overall mortality by 43%.

Exercise 

“Mild” exercise is particularly beneficial to the immune system, including: traveling, jogging, walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, aerobics, etc.

Swimming is particularly good for breast cancer patients, as it allows the whole body to get exercise. Especially breaststroke is the most beneficial to the surgical site. Exercise is also very effective in relieving muscle spasms. When exercising, pay attention to smooth and continuous movements. Water aerobics is also very beneficial. Water has buoyancy and resistance, which can improve the flexibility and strength of patients. However, patients who have received radiation therapy must first ask the radiation therapist if they can now contact water.

Psychological counseling that cannot be ignored

Due to the particularity of breast cancer, patients not only have to bear the blow from the cancer itself, but also face the huge psychological impact of the loss of breasts caused by the damage to the body image. Data show that the incidence of psychological disorders in breast cancer patients is much higher than that in patients with other malignant tumors.

A foreign survey of early breast cancer patients shows that 45% of patients have mental disorders, of which 42% are depression or anxiety disorders. One-fifth of patients have two or more mental disorders, one-third feel that their attractiveness is poor, and many have lost their sexual desire. Many domestic data show that two years after surgery for breast cancer patients, there are still about 45% anxiety and 60% depression.

Therefore, for breast cancer patients, in addition to conventional treatment, good psychological support is also very necessary for their recovery.

Medical workers have the most opportunities to contact patients, and they should be the backbone of patients’ psychological support. Adequate communication between doctors and patients, the provision of correct diagnosis and treatment information for breast cancer, and the patient’s understanding of all aspects of the disease diagnosis and treatment process will help eliminate patients’ incorrect knowledge and unnecessary worries about breast cancer. In clinical practice, the application of some psychotherapeutic techniques is very helpful for patients’ psychological problems.

The social support system also plays an important role in the treatment and rehabilitation of breast cancer patients. The exchange of experience and encouragement between patients and friends, the comfort, understanding and meticulous care of relatives and friends will greatly enhance the confidence of patients in fighting cancer.

For the patients themselves, they should learn as much as possible about the treatment of breast cancer, eliminate misunderstandings in the understanding of the disease, establish confidence in overcoming the disease, and adopt a scientific attitude to actively cooperate with the treatment. Communicate more with medical staff and relatives and friends, participate in appropriate physical exercises and beneficial social activities, and participate in mutual aid groups for breast cancer patients or friendship associations, and use a positive attitude and action to defeat breast cancer.

Insist on follow-up

One to three years after breast cancer surgery is the peak of recurrence. Patients sometimes feel that their body is recovering well, but often the cancer cells are still in the body.

It is recommended that patients should not be taken lightly while completing standard treatment, and standard postoperative follow-up should be carried out. The follow-up cycle is generally once every 3 months within one year after surgery, every six months for 2 to 5 years, and once a year for more than 5 years. Through standardized follow-up, doctors can detect tumor recurrence or metastasis and new tumors in time, so as to give timely and reasonable treatment and obtain better control of the disease. Patients can also get professional guidance from doctors to help them ride through the rapid and dangerous slopes of the rehabilitation process, and finally reach the safe side.

Sum up

Compared with other malignant tumors, as long as breast cancer is detected and treated early, many patients can survive long-term after surgery. In addition to the characteristics of breast cancer cells, this is mainly due to the good effects of systemic drug treatments such as endocrine therapy, and the renewal of treatment methods such as targeted therapy, so the treatment and follow-up of breast cancer is a long-term process. The drug treatment period is as long as 5 years or even 10 years.

However, the disease has a considerable impact on the patient’s psychology, physiology, work and life. Patients should not interrupt follow-up and treatment because they are worried about adverse drug reactions or luck, otherwise it may cause lifelong regrets and irreparable losses.

(source:internet, reference only)

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