In the earliest stage, a blockage is found in the mammary glands or a duct. A lobular carcinoma is often simply watched for a while to see if it progresses. Because having a lobular carcinoma in one breast means there is a good chance of it occurring in the other breast, some women opt to prevent cancer by having a double mastectomy. When a woman is diagnosed with ductal carcinoma, she is usually able to have only the lump removed and follow up with other treatments. She can also choose to have her breasts removed in this scenario as well.
The Middle to Late Stages
Whether or not a woman has a mastectomy is determined by the size, location and stage of cancer she has at diagnosis. Women also have choices because they are often unwilling to lose a breast so they try everything else before they allow their breast to be removed.
Women find that trying to treat the cancer with radiation and chemo can significantly increase their chances of keeping their breasts. If the treatment does its job, only a lumpectomy is necessary.
The non-invasive treatments are almost always used regardless of whether or not surgery is done. Treating the cancer intensively makes survival more likely.
If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, full mastectomies and lymph tissue removal is performed.
The Last Stage of Cancer
In the case of stage IV breast cancer, the disease is considered inoperable. Treatments include radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. These do not save her life but often help her to live for a while longer. Women may choose to have no therapy in this stage and opt instead for supportive care. This is meant to help control pain and support a better quality of life while she is dying.
Reoccurrences of cancer do happen sometimes. If a woman is prepared and catches on very quickly, there is still a chance she will survive. If the cancer was "hiding" in the lymph nodes or elsewhere in the body, it is probably in its last stages. Supportive care is usually the best way to treat this stage of cancer.
Though it seems unlikely, men have been known to get breast cancer. They are treated in the same manner as women are when this happens.
