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Breast Cancer Health Center

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What is Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer?

When breast cancer is limited to the breast or lymph nodes, chemotherapy may be given after a lumpectomy or mastectomy.  This is done to help reduce the chance of breast cancer coming back.

If the breast tumor is large, chemotherapy is sometimes given before surgery in order to shrink the tumor so it can be removed more easily or so that a lumpectomy can be performed instead of a mastectomy.

Chemotherapy may also be given as the main treatment for women whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body outside of the breast and lymph nodes.

WebMD Medical Reference

Reviewed by Paul O'Neill, MD on September 01, 2006
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