Managing

Following treatment for breast cancer, the patient must adjust to its effects, which can be temporary--such as hair loss during chemotherapy--or permanent, such as the loss of a breast. This adjustment may include using a prosthesis to replace a missing breast; taking medications, such as hormonal treatments, that have side effects; and dealing with fears of a recurrence as well as changes in the emotional landscape surrounding physical intimacy and sexuality. By all accounts, individuals who have experienced breast cancer should adopt a lifestyle that lessens, to the extent possible, the risk of a recurrence.

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This section includes information on:

• Follow-up exams
• Managing lymphedema
• Using a prosthesis
• Sexual intimacy after treatment
• Hormonal treatment
• Exercise