Tweet
Breast cancer
Worldwide, more than 1.3 Million women suffered from a breast tumor in 2008, making it the most common cancer type among women.
It is often diagnosed after the age of 60.
Almost half a million women died of breast cancer in 2008.
Even though breast cancer can often be cured these days if diagnosed at an early stage, it can also recur at any time, and most recurrences occur in the first three to five years after initial treatment.
The most common sites of recurrence include the lymph nodes, bones, liver, and lungs.
Treatment options for breast cancer
Current therapies range from surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to hormone therapy and targeted therapies.
Surgery is usually the first line of attack against breast cancer.
In some cases, chemotherapy is given before surgery to shrink the cancer.
Radiation therapy is a targeted and effective way to destroy cancer cells that may stick around in the breast after surgery and can reduce the recurrence risk by about 70%.
In addition, hormone therapy is available to hormone-receptorpositive breast cancers.
Last but not least, targeted cancer therapies attack specific cancer cell characteristics of breast cancer tumors.
At Bayer, researchers are working on the development of new approaches for the treatment of breast cancer patients.
Source: Bayer Health Care
Worldwide, more than 1.3 Million women suffered from a breast tumor in 2008, making it the most common cancer type among women.
It is often diagnosed after the age of 60.
Almost half a million women died of breast cancer in 2008.
Even though breast cancer can often be cured these days if diagnosed at an early stage, it can also recur at any time, and most recurrences occur in the first three to five years after initial treatment.
The most common sites of recurrence include the lymph nodes, bones, liver, and lungs.
Treatment options for breast cancer
Current therapies range from surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to hormone therapy and targeted therapies.
Surgery is usually the first line of attack against breast cancer.
In some cases, chemotherapy is given before surgery to shrink the cancer.
Radiation therapy is a targeted and effective way to destroy cancer cells that may stick around in the breast after surgery and can reduce the recurrence risk by about 70%.
In addition, hormone therapy is available to hormone-receptorpositive breast cancers.
Last but not least, targeted cancer therapies attack specific cancer cell characteristics of breast cancer tumors.
At Bayer, researchers are working on the development of new approaches for the treatment of breast cancer patients.
Source: Bayer Health Care