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There are several options for treating invasive ductal carcinoma. They include surgery, HER2-targeted therapy, and radiation therapy. You should discuss the various options with your healthcare provider. These treatments can be incredibly effective, but they also carry side effects. Your healthcare provider can explain the most common side effects and how long it will take for you to recover.
HER2-targeted therapy
HER2-targeted therapy is a promising new treatment for invasive ductal carcinoma. This targeted therapy uses drugs to inhibit the activity of the HER2 protein. HER2 is a transmembrane glycoprotein that contains an intracellular tyrosine kinase domain and controls cell proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. New drugs targeting HER2 are being, developed, including ADCs (anti-drug conjugates) and immunotherapy (anti-tumor drugs).
ADCs are cancer drugs that are, linked to an antibody that acts as a homing device to cancer cells. The ADC shuttles inside the cancer cell, where it attaches a chemotherapy drug. During the treatment, the ADC also protects healthy cells from the chemotherapy. The drugs are, given intravenously, through a port or IV.
Tucatineb is a monoclonal antibody that targets HER2 in cancer cells. It works by binding to the HER2 protein inside the cells and blocking it from sending signals that promote cell growth. Other HER2-targeted TKIs include lapatinib and neratinib.
HER2 expression is, elevated in about 20% of all breast cancers. These tumors are, known to respond well to targeted therapy. With the introduction of new anti-HER2 drugs, the prognosis of HER2-positive patients has improved dramatically. Currently, chemotherapy combined with trastuzumab is the standard of care for most patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. However, chemo-free anti-HER2 strategies are also being, investigated for select patients.
As of this writing, the PERTAIN trial (Rimawi et al., 2013) is currently underway and is comparing trastuzumab with and without pertuzumab, an aromatase inhibitor. Both drugs demonstrated good results in terms of PFS and side effects.
One recent study involving a combination of trastuzumab and lapatinib has shown significant improvements in event-free survival, pCR rate, and median overall survival (OS). It is, now recommended for patients with HER2-positive invasive ductal carcinoma.
HER2-targeted therapy is a promising option for women with breast cancer that has failed to respond to other treatments. Fortunately, new studies have shown that trastuzumab-DM1 can improve survival in women with HER2-positive breast cancer. In a phase II trial involving 110 patients with heavily pretreated HER2-positive MBC, trastuzumab-DM1 demonstrated a 41.3% RR and 7.3-month PFS in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Chemotherapy
Invasive ductal carcinoma, also known as IDC, is a type of breast cancer. It is, characterized by growth of cancerous cells in the mammary duct and spread to its exterior fibrous layer. Although this type of cancer can develop at any age, it is more common in women who are over 40.
White underwent genetic testing while receiving chemotherapy for her invasive ductal carcinoma in 2012. She was, told she had a genetic predisposition to the disease, putting her at risk for the disease five times higher than the general population. Despite her risk, she chose to undergo surgery to remove the tumor and undergo a mastectomy to ensure that she could live a long and happy life. She has a hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome, which is, marked by a mutation in two genes, the Breast Cancer Susceptibility Gene 1 and Breast Cancer Susceptibility Gene 2.
Invasive ductal carcinoma is a common type of breast cancer, and if detected at an early age, it is often treatable with surgery. Chemotherapy can shrink tumors dramatically and make surgery easier and more successful. The process of chemotherapy involves the use of anti-cancer medicines that travel through the bloodstream to the tumor.
One patient with invasive ductal carcinoma presented with vision loss in her left eye. She also had watery discharge from her right eye for three weeks. She also experienced five days of red, itchy left eye. The patient self-medicated with chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops but did not notice any improvement. She also had a history of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. Her pathologic report revealed no metastases in the sentinel nodes. In this case, adjuvant chemotherapy was, recommended as well as radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy for invasive duct cancer involves the use of medicines that are, given by the doctor in cycles. Each cycle may take between three and six months. The course can be repeated as many times as necessary to treat the cancer.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy for invasive ductal cancer treatment consists of delivering radiation to the affected area. It is most effective when given on a regular schedule. In the past, radiation therapy was given five days a week, for five to seven weeks. Today, accelerated radiation therapy is, used to deliver the same total dose over a shorter time, usually three to four weeks. For patients who have a partial breast tumor, treatment may last one to three weeks. Patients should visit their doctors regularly to manage side effects associated with radiation therapy.
Early invasive ductal carcinoma is, often diagnosed by routine breast cancer screening. Although it often does not produce typical symptoms, doctors may perform a biopsy to determine the type and extent of the disease. The extent of the disease depends on the size of the initial tumor and the extent of its spread.
Radiation therapy is effective in reducing the risk of recurrence and spreading the cancer. Although radiation therapy can cause side effects, most will subside after a few months. However, some problems may last longer. If you experience any side effects, let your healthcare provider know right away so they can modify the treatment plan.
The most common form of radiation therapy is external-beam therapy. This involves inserting a radioactive liquid that targets the area where the cancer began to grow. It also targets the tissues nearest to the tumor. Another method, called brachytherapy, involves inserting a device into the breast to deliver targeted radiation to the tumor bed. External-beam radiation can take from one to three weeks.
Radiation therapy for invasive ductal cancer is typically, given in combination with chemotherapy. It can help shrink unresectable tumors and may also be used after surgery. It also helps to minimize the risk of cancer recurrence after surgery. Patients who have had mastectomy surgery or lumpectomy may benefit from radiation therapy.
Radiation therapy for invasive ductal cancer treatment is a safe, effective, and affordable way to fight the disease. A radioactive source is, implanted once or twice a day. The treatment usually lasts between 15 minutes and 45 minutes. The treatment is usually painless, but it may cause some temporary discomfort. The radiation therapy will require repeated follow-up visits to monitor progress and any late side effects.
Surgery
Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is a type of breast cancer that begins in the mammary duct and has spread to the outer layer of the duct. It can affect a woman of any age, but it tends to be more common as she ages. Surgery is the most common treatment for this type of cancer.
Surgery for invasive ductal carcinoma focuses on removing the cancer. However, this treatment option has side effects. Invasive ductal carcinoma can also be treated with chemotherapy and radio-chemotherapy. A surgeon should choose the optimal treatment method for each patient, and whether surgery is indicated for this particular type of cancer depends on several factors, including the location of the tumor and the type of treatment.
A 46-year-old premenopausal woman was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast. She underwent a left mastectomy for the mass in April 2009. She was diagnosed with a long course of the disease. After surgery, she underwent postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, long-term endocrine therapy, and rescue chemotherapy. She also underwent lumbar surgery.
Surgical treatment for invasive ductal carcinoma is essential for patients with a high risk of developing complications. This is particularly true for patients with large or multiple tumors. A patient with multiple tumors can require multiple surgeries to remove them. After invasive ductal carcinoma surgery, patients need to undergo postoperative follow-up to determine whether there have been any complications.
