Being treated for breast cancer

How breast cancer is treated depends on the type of cancer you have and other circumstances specific to you. Your doctor will discuss with you the treatments available and their potential side effects. Any side effects should be weighed against the benefits of the treatment you receive.

Treatments available include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone treatment and biological – or targeted – treatment. Most people have a combination of these.

Secondary breast cancer, which is where breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, is treated separately.

You shouldn’t have to wait longer than one month for treatment after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Into the future

Your cancer specialist will explain what will happen over the next few years. You’ll be able to discuss the frequency of future follow-up appointments and what to do if you have any problems related to your breast cancer.

Find out more

We have produced two publications setting out the standards of breast care treatments and services you should expect:

The Best Treatment: Your guide to breast cancer treatment in England & Wales (1360 kb)

The Best Treatment: Your guide to breast cancer treatment in Scotland (1018 kb)

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£3 a month over a year could buy 20 flasks used by our scientists to grow breast cancer cells in the laboratory.

£5 a month buys 100 microscope slides needed to look at cells in great detail under a microscope – enabling scientists to better understand breast cancer and develop new treatments.

£10 a month buys storage containers for blood samples used in the Breakthrough Generations Study. These samples will help scientists discover the causes of breast cancer.