For known, diagnosed fibrocystic breast changes, a woman should examine her breasts monthly.
A well-fitting bra should be worn to provide good breast support. The effectiveness of vitamin E, vitamin B6, and herbal preparations (such as evening primrose oil) are somewhat controversial and should be discussed with your health care provider.
Self-care may also include restricting dietary fat to approximately 25% of the total daily calorie intake and eliminating caffeine intake and cigarette smoking to see if symptoms subside.
Oral contraceptives may be prescribed because they often decrease symptoms.
The choice of initial treatment for biopsy-confirmed breast cancer is based upon the extent and aggressiveness of the disease. Currently, breast cancer is viewed as a systemic disease that requires both local and systemic treatment.
Local treatment may include lumpectomy, mastectomy (partial, total, or radical with axillary dissection), and radiation therapy -- all directed at the breast and surrounding tissue.
Systemic treatment includes chemotherapy and hormonal therapy, which circulate throughout the entire body in an attempt to eliminate cancer cells that may be present in distant parts of the body.
Most women receive a combination therapy including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy. Therapy will depend on the extent of the local disease, if there is cancer in local lymph nodes or in other parts of the body as well as the genetic findings after analyzing the cancer cells.
