Sequence of Treatment

Your team of doctors will most likely recommend a particular sequence of treatment. Here is the most common "pathway":

• Usually surgery is first.
• If chemotherapy is going to be part of your care, it is often given second.
• Radiation therapy usually follows surgery and chemotherapy (when chemotherapy is given).
• A hormonal therapy (like tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor) is often started after the other treatments have been given if the cancer is hormone-receptor positive.

There are many exceptions to this sequence, however, or other treatments given.  There are also many other variations in timing and sequence.

Talk with your doctor to determine the best sequence of treatment for you.

For help understanding your diagnosis and treatment options, you can also use My Breast Cancer Coach. My Breast Cancer Coach is a questionnaire designed to help you better understand your type of breast cancer so you can focus on the information that's most relevant to you.