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If you are older than 70, you may be a good candidate for having limited treatment and skipping lymph node biopsy or radiation.¹⁹ This depends on your health and what type of Breast Cancer you have.

Coping with your diagnosis

The diagnosis of breast cancer is devastating and scary. Most women will experience some denial, anger, and grief. There is no "normal" or "right" way to react to a diagnosis of cancer. There are many steps you can take to help with your emotional reaction to Breast Cancer. You may find that talking with family and friends helps you with your emotions. Some women find that spending time alone is what they need.

If your reaction interferes with your ability to make decisions about your health, it is important to talk with your doctor. Your cancer treatment center may offer psychological or financial services. You may also contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society to help you find a support group. Talking with other people who may have had similar feelings can be very helpful.²⁰

Nausea and vomiting

One of the biggest concerns about treatment for cancer is managing nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy. Depending on the type of chemotherapy, you may only need home treatment to reduce mild nausea. But for certain types of chemotherapy, it's best to take prescription medicine for nausea and vomiting. In some cases, it's best to take it before the first dose of chemotherapy. Everyone is different. Work with your doctor to develop a plan that works for you.

For more ways to help manage side effects caused by Breast Cancer or breast cancer treatment, see the Home Treatment section of this topic.

Ongoing treatment

After the initial treatment for Breast Cancer, you may see your family doctor, general practitioner, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, or surgeon at regularly scheduled intervals, depending on your individual situation. The length of time between visits will gradually lengthen until at 5 years, if no new problems develop, you are seeing your doctor once each year. As part of your follow-up, you may have:

• Physical exams. The frequency of your physical exams depends on your general health and the type of breast cancer you have. In general, you will see your doctor every 3 to 6 months for 3 years and then every 6 months until 5 years have passed since your diagnosis of Breast Cancer. You may see your doctor once a year at this point.
• Mammograms to screen for Breast Cancer and investigate lumps that can be felt during a breast exam.

After treatment for Breast Cancer, it is important to do regular self-exams. This may help you detect signs of recurrence. Early signs of recurrence may appear in the incision area itself, the opposite breast, under your arm, or in the area above the collarbone.