HomeAnswersInternal Medicinebreast cancerWhat is the first treatment choice for breast cancer?

For breast cancer, should we do chemo first or surgery?

Share

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

iCliniq medical review team

Published At May 17, 2016
Reviewed AtJune 28, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago and had a right mastectomy. She however did not have chemo or radiation. She has a little extra fat on the lateral area of the breast that after surgery it looked like a small third breast. Right over the old incision, a large ulcerative cauliflower-like wound has developed. The tumor is protruding and is very vascular. It currently has no odor, but it is bright red and bleeds excessively once the dressing is removed. She is 86 years old with a history of high blood pressure, COPD, CHF, diabetes, CAD, TIA, and pacemaker. She still ambulates, is alert and oriented. Also, she understands what is going on. We visited the oncologist and were told she will either need to undergo chemo or radiation. The surgeon, who did the mastectomy, is recommending surgery to remove the protruding tumor. Which is the best option to do first? My family is very leery about her ability to handle chemo and frankly does not want her to have chemo. We know that removing it does not cure the cancer. Should we do radiation first then remove it with surgery? If we were to consider chemo should we do some cycles first and then remove it with surgery? Which option would you say is the safest route? We want to keep her around for many more years if we can. Thanks for your time.

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com. Here are my suggestions; assuming that you want to undergo full treatment, the best method would be to start chemo and radiotherapy. The cycles of chemotherapy will depend on the medicine chosen by your oncologist. This will reduce the tumor size. Then go ahead with the surgery and then complete the treatment with further cycles of chemo and radiotherapy. Another option is surgery followed by a few cycles of chemo and radiotherapy. Managing growth is important because if left untreated, the site may get infected. Other complications are of course to be considered. The other option is no treatment at all. Just palliative medicines to keep her comfortable. This way she can live a comfortable life considering that you have said she is stable. Please note that I am just explaining the option. The choice of treatment would be your decision. I suggest getting a PET scan before deciding.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Saumya Mittal
Dr. Saumya Mittal

Internal Medicine

Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Ask your health query to a doctor online

Internal Medicine

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy