Breast Cancer: Understanding Options

at 11:55AM, 1:55PM, and 3:55PM

Breast cancer is a disease that is growing at an alarming rate in this country. Many women will be faced with making serious decisions regarding their treatment for this disease.

Suzanne's guest, Dr. Marisa C. Weiss, author of Living Beyond Breast Cancer and president of the nonprofit Internet-based organization, breastcancer.org, talks about the treatment options that women now have when faced with breast cancer. It used to be that a mastectomy, in which the breast and adjacent tissue and lymph nodes are removed, was the only option. Now lumpectomy, in which a tumor is removed, radiation treatments, and chemotherapy can prove helpful, depending on a woman's exact medical situation.

Dr. Weiss says that the key to making a decision about what to do lies in understanding the nature of your breast cancer. You'll need to know how big the tumor is, how fast is it growing, where it is, and if it has spread beyond the breast. You and a team of healthcare professionals who are experts in cancer can come up with a treatment plan that is appropriate.

Once your uncertainty is over and you have a plan, you'll feel more in control over your health and life.