Breast cancer

Question 1

What are some risk factors of breast cancer

Answer 1

Age
Early onset menstruation
Late menopause
Family history

Question 2

What is the management of breast cancer

Answer 2

Surgery
Radiotherapy
Drug therapy
Any combination of these

Question 3

What is the treatment for early and locally advanced

Answer 3

Surgery/ radiotherapy

Tamoxifen can be given after surgery or chemo meds - prevents breast cancer

Question 4

If someone has locally advanced breast cancer, what can they get if chemo is declined?

Answer 4

Goserelin - Goserelin stops the body making oestrogen. This lowers oestrogen levels, which may stop breast cancer growing, or shrink the cancer.

Anastrozole and letrozole is also used - stops the growth of cancer cells but doesnt kill the cancer cells

Question 5

Treatment for advanced breast cancer

Answer 5

Endocrine therapy = first line
Aromatase inhibitors like anastrozole and letrozole also offered to postmenopausal women with no history of endocrine therapy or when previously treated with tamoxifen

Question 6

What does tamoxifen increase risk of

Answer 6

Hyperplasia, polyps, cancer (so report symptoms like bleeding, menstrual irregularities etc)

Question 7

Does tamoxifen increase risk of venous thromboembolism?

Answer 7

Yes - report signs