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• Posted October 5, 2024

What You Need to Know After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Breast cancer strikes 1 in 8 women in the United States, but being diagnosed with the disease can still make you feel alone.

To cope with such devastating news, breast cancer surgeons from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) offer tips on navigating the disease.

First, any treatment will depend on the stage and type of breast cancer you have.

There are several surgical options for breast cancer, as well as treatments that combine immunotherapy and chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that disproportionately affects Black women and has long been difficult to treat. One type of immunotherapy, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), has been effective when used alongside chemotherapy and it has now become the standard of care to treat certain types of triple-negative breast cancer, the ACS said.

“It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team,” said Dr. Katharine Yao. She is chair of the ACS National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), which sets breast cancer treatment guidelines for more than 575 centers and hospitals across the country.

Yao, who is also vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, noted that any treatment decision should reflect not just the patient’s diagnosis but also her goals, such as if she would prefer surgery that spares some breast tissue (lumpectomy) or complete removal of the breast with or without reconstruction (mastectomy).

“The breast cancer you have may be very different than the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague or friend,” she noted in an ACS news release. “It’s important to keep that in mind when talking to others about their journey and experience with breast cancer.”

Having breast cancer can also strain your mental health, so tending to your emotional well-being during your breast cancer journey is paramount.

“Being diagnosed with cancer doesn’t mean that all the normal stuff in your life stops happening. Adding the stress of a cancer diagnosis and treatment on top of all the normal stressors of life can be a lot to deal with,” said Dr. Daniela Ochoa, ACS Commission on Cancer state chair of Arkansas and director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the University of Arkansas' Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. “Managing stress and emotional health is an important aspect of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends getting counseling from clinically trained social workers and psychologists who have expertise in helping patients deal with their cancer. Support groups or cancer wellness programs can also help you learn about coping skills from other cancer patients.

Perhaps most important factor is the care team you have in your corner, the surgeons said.

Comprehensive care guides you every step of the way, including a surgeon, oncologist, patient navigator, nursing staff, social worker or psychologist, and others, the ACS said. When first diagnosed with breast cancer, women may first meet with a surgeon or medical oncologist to discuss their options, but care should not end after one visit or after surgery is complete.

Support can also be found in trusted family members or friends who can accompany you on visits and help you take notes or ask questions during your appointments.

“One of the most important things is that patients should seek out a team that they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need,” Yao said.

SOURCE: American College of Surgeons, news release, Oct. 1, 2024