Mr. Tim Davidson
Mr.Tim Davidson, Consultant Breast Surgeon at The London Clinic, talks about breast cancer and the treatments that are suitable for each individual and offers his advice when dealing with the illness.
Breast cancer outcomes are now steadily improving in the UK and the long-term results of modern treatment continue to get better year on year. Patients with Breast cancer, and friends and relatives of those affected, can feel reassured that in most cases treatment can be curative.
Treatment for breast cancer is multidisciplinary, i.e. usually a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. The treatment is tailored to each individual patient according to the type of tumour, the stage or extent of spread, and the patient’s preferences. Women having breast cancer treatment should try to have treatment at a centre where all these modalities are available, such as The London Clinic, and where the multidisciplinary team members hold regular meetings.
As well as seeing a breast surgeon, women facing breast cancer treatment should have access to a breast care nurse who can provide information, emotional support and guidance for family concerns. At The London Clinic the breast care nurses are available to meet patients in the outpatient clinic and inpatient ward settings, and to help in the seamless transfer between treatment disciplines such as surgery and radiotherapy.
Women often find complementary therapies such a reflexology, massage and acupuncture very helpful in dealing with the inevitable stresses during breast cancer treatment. Many modern comprehensive cancer centres such as The London Clinic now provides access to these complementary therapies which can run alongside the conventional anti-cancer treatments.
Although there is understandably a lot of anxiety when a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, she should bear in mind that this is not an emergency, and waiting a few days before starting treatment never has an adverse effect on long-term outcomes. It is far more preferable that she sees someone that she feels comfortable with, and has her treatment at a centre in which she feels she can place her trust. Women should feel free to seek a second opinion if they are unhappy with the proposed advice, and should always expect to be involved in any treatment decisions.
For more information visit: http://www.thelondonclinic.co.uk/
Tagged in Breast Cancer Health