From an interview with
Dr. Arrvind Raghunath
McLeod Oncology and Hematology Associates

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women after skin cancer. The types of treatment a patient has depends on the type of cancer and how advanced it is. Some people with cancer will have only one treatment, but most people have a combination of treatments, such as surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. McLeod Health oncologist Dr. Arrvind Raghunath explains what the future holds for breast cancer care.

“At McLeod Health, our goal is to provide personalized breast cancer care. One treatment does not fit all, so we individualize a plan to each and every patient’s needs.

Breast cancer research continues to move forward with multiple advancements in care. Today we have more chemotherapy agents and targeted treatments that help women than ever before.

We now understand that there are very specific pathways cancer cells navigate for their survival. This research has led to the development of drugs that can block parts of those pathways and suppress the cancer. We also have immunotherapy available, which arms the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells. This form of therapy helps the immune system recognize the cancer, then stimulate an intense response against the tumor. As research of breast cancer continues, these discoveries will help guide treatment in the future and improve survival.”

According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, long-term survival rates for breast cancer have improved dramatically over the last several decades, thanks in part to breast cancer screening and early detection.

• In the 1960s, 63 out of 100 women diagnosed with breast cancer were still living 5 years following their diagnosis of breast cancer.
• Today, 90 out of 100 women diagnosed with breast cancer are still living 5 years following diagnosis.
• In addition, today 82 out of 100 women diagnosed with breast cancer are living at least 10 years following diagnosis, and 77 out of 100 are living at least 15 years.

If you have questions about breast cancer, talk with an oncologist near you.