VARIOUS TREATMENT MODALITIES FOR BREAST CANCER: A REVIEW

*Nosheen Mustafa and Marriam Zaka

ABSTRACT

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death specifically among women in both developed and under developed countries. Due to lack of the involvement of the patients in their treatment decisions most of them accepted their physician’s decision. Breast conserving surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the most commonly used allopathic treatment which increase the survival rate but they also caused adverse drug reactions. And these conventional treatment related toxicities divert the patient towards the usage of alternative therapies. Massage therapy, vitamins, supplements, herbal and homeopathic treatment are the some examples of complementary and alternative therapies whose use are increases day by day. Among these massage or relaxation therapy are also prescribe sometimes by the oncologist but along with the allopathic treatment. Rigid people which have firm religious or cultural beliefs are also use traditional treatment like hikmat and dam darood. Most of the women with the breast cancer use these alternative therapies along with the conventional treatment but without informing their oncologists. Physicians should explain all the aspects of the disease or their treatment as well as drug interactions or adverse drug reactions with the patient and tell them not only conventional treatment cause problem, alternative therapies also create toxicities specially if use both therapies simultaneously.

Keywords: Breast cancer, Breast conserving surgery, Complementary and Alternative medicines, Traditional treatments.