Following Your Treatment Plan
Breast cancer treatment is most effective when all parts of the treatment plan are completed. So, it’s important to follow the treatment plan (for medications and other therapies) prescribed by your health care provider in terms of:
- Timing
- Dose
- Frequency
Following your treatment plan
It may be hard to complete breast cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiation therapy.
For example, when [244]:
- You are prescribed (or recommended) to take medications over a long period of time
- You are prescribed (or recommended) to go to treatments over a long time, especially if you live far away
- You have side effects from treatment
Even though it may be hard, it’s vital to follow your treatment plan.
Medications, such as oral chemotherapy and hormone therapy (tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors), only work taken as prescribed. And radiation therapy is most effective when you finish the entire course.
Learn about getting high-quality care (quality of care).
Talking with health care providers
It’s good to be honest with your health care provider about whether or not you’re taking your medication as prescribed.
If your health care provider believes you’re taking all of your medication, and you aren’t, this can cause problems. For example, if a medication doesn’t appear to be working, your health care provider may think it’s due to the medication itself (when instead the medication wasn’t taken as prescribed).
In this case, your health care provider may decide to try a different type of treatment when a change wasn’t needed.
If you have side effects, tell your health care provider right away. They may be able to help. Having fewer side effects can help you complete your treatment.
Learn more about talking with your health care provider.
Managing practical needs
You may have practical challenges, such as:
- Travel to and from treatment (and travel costs)
- Child or elder care during treatment
- Medication costs
Your health care provider may be able to help. Hospital discharge planners, patient relation offices, patient service offices, social workers and patient navigators at hospitals or managed care organizations may be helpful too.
Learn about transportation and lodging assistance.
Learn about financial assistance for child and elder care costs.
Learn about financial assistance for prescription drugs and other treatment costs.
Komen Financial Assistance Program |
Susan G. Komen® created the Komen Financial Assistance Program to help those struggling with the costs of breast cancer treatment by providing financial assistance to eligible individuals. Funding is available for eligible individuals undergoing breast cancer treatment at any stage or living with metastatic breast cancer (stage IV). To learn more about this program and other helpful resources, call the Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636) or email helpline@komen.org. Se habla español. |
Prescription drug assistance
Prescription drug costs can quickly become a financial burden for you and your family.
Medicare and many insurance companies offer prescription drug plans. One may already be included in your policy, or you may be able to buy an extra plan for prescriptions.
Some drugs have a generic form. Generic drugs cost less than the name brands but are just as effective.
You may also qualify for programs that help with drug costs or offer low-cost or free prescriptions.
Learn more about insurance plans and prescription drug assistance programs.
Susan G. Komen®’s Breast Care Helpline: |
Calls to our Komen Breast Care Helpline are answered by a trained and caring staff member Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET. The helpline provides free, professional support services to anyone with questions or concerns about breast cancer, including people diagnosed with breast cancer and their families. You can also email the helpline at helpline@komen.org. Se habla español. |
Completing radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is almost always given after lumpectomy to lower the risk of breast cancer recurrence and increase the chances of survival [4]. In some cases, radiation therapy is used after mastectomy to treat the chest wall and lymph nodes.
Radiation therapy for early breast cancer usually is given 5 days a week, for 1-6 weeks.
Getting to and from the treatment center every day for weeks can be hard, especially if you live far away or if others rely on you for care.
If you need a ride to and from treatment or help with child or elder care, there may be resources available. Family and friends often want to help, but don’t know how. These are great ways for them to get involved.
Sometimes, there are programs that help with local or long-distance transportation and lodging (if you need a place to stay overnight during treatment).
There are also programs that help with child and elder care costs.
Komen Financial Assistance Program |
Susan G. Komen® created the Komen Financial Assistance Program to help those struggling with the costs of breast cancer treatment by providing financial assistance to eligible individuals. Funding is available for eligible individuals undergoing breast cancer treatment at any stage or living with metastatic breast cancer (stage IV). To learn more about this program and other helpful resources, call the Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636) or email helpline@komen.org. Se habla español. |
It’s OK to ask for help. It’s important to complete your radiation therapy without gaps or delays.
Learn more about radiation therapy.
Completing oral chemotherapy
Although most side effects go away shortly after chemotherapy ends, preventing or treating symptoms can help you complete your course of chemotherapy.
You should never feel you have to endure side effects, such as nausea. Talk with your health care provider about any side effects you have.
Your health care provider may be able to prescribe medications to treat your side effects or change your treatment plan to reduce them.
If you’re having trouble remembering to take oral chemotherapy or medications to treat side effects, a daily pillbox or setting an alarm on your watch or mobile device (you may be able to download an app) may help [1].
Learn more about chemotherapy.
Learn more about the side effects of chemotherapy.
Learn about financial assistance for chemotherapy drugs.
Komen Financial Assistance Program |
Susan G. Komen® created the Komen Financial Assistance Program to help those struggling with the costs of breast cancer treatment by providing financial assistance to eligible individuals. Funding is available for eligible individuals undergoing breast cancer treatment at any stage or living with metastatic breast cancer (stage IV). To learn more about this program and other helpful resources, call the Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636) or email helpline@komen.org. Se habla español. |
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Susan G. Komen®‘s position on fairness in oral cancer drug coverage |
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Insurance coverage of oral cancer drugs Cancer medications given by vein (through an IV) or injection (under the skin or into a muscle) are usually covered under a health insurance plan’s medical benefit. However, cancer medications that are pills (oral cancer drugs) are usually covered under a health insurance plan’s prescription drug benefit. As a result, people often find themselves facing high out-of-pocket costs when filling prescriptions for oral cancer drugs. Sometimes these costs can be thousands of dollars a month. The impact of high cost-sharing High prescription drug costs and the resulting out-of-pocket burden on patients are a barrier to care. They can prevent people from getting the medications prescribed by their health care providers. No one should be forced to get less appropriate treatment because an insurer gives more coverage for IV and injectable drugs than pills. Efforts to increase fairness in drug coverage Komen supports state and federal efforts to require insurers to provide the same or better coverage for oral cancer drugs as they do for IV and injectable cancer drugs. This would help make sure patients have access to affordable, appropriate treatment. Become a Komen Advocacy Insider Sign up to be a Komen Advocacy Insider and get informed when action is needed on drug coverage issues at the state or national level. |
Completing intravenous (IV) chemotherapy
Most chemotherapy drugs for breast cancer are given by vein (through an IV) in an outpatient setting at a hospital or clinic.
Getting to and from the hospital or clinic can be hard, especially if you live far away or if others rely on you for care.
If you need a ride to and from treatment or have child or elder care needs that make getting to chemotherapy treatments difficult, there may be resources available.
Family and friends often want to help, but don’t know how. These are great ways for them to get involved. It’s OK to ask for help.
Sometimes, there are programs that help with local or long-distance transportation and lodging (if you need a place to stay overnight during treatment).
There are also programs that help with child and elder care costs.
Learn more about chemotherapy.
Learn more about the side effects of chemotherapy.
Learn about financial assistance for chemotherapy drugs.
Komen Financial Assistance Program |
Susan G. Komen® created the Komen Financial Assistance Program to help those struggling with the costs of breast cancer treatment by providing financial assistance to eligible individuals. Funding is available for eligible individuals undergoing breast cancer treatment at any stage or living with metastatic breast cancer (stage IV). To learn more about this program and other helpful resources, call the Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636) or email helpline@komen.org. Se habla español. |
Completing hormone therapy (tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors)
Hormone therapy with tamoxifen and/or aromatase inhibitors is prescribed for 5-10 years. The length of treatment along with side effects can make it tough to complete treatment.
Dealing with menopausal symptoms related to hormone therapy can be hard. Talk with your health care provider about ways to ease these and other side effects.
To get the most benefit from hormone therapy, you need the full course of treatment. People who complete the full course have better survival than those who don’t [95-97].
If you’re having trouble remembering to take your medicine, a pillbox or setting an alarm on your watch or phone (you may be able to download an app) may help [1].
However, you don’t need to worry if you miss a day or two.
Learn more about hormone therapy.
Learn about treating menopausal symptoms.
Learn about financial assistance for hormone therapy drugs.
Komen Financial Assistance Program |
Susan G. Komen® created the Komen Financial Assistance Program to help those struggling with the costs of breast cancer treatment by providing financial assistance to eligible individuals. Funding is available for eligible individuals undergoing breast cancer treatment at any stage or living with metastatic breast cancer (stage IV). To learn more about this program and other helpful resources, call the Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636) or email helpline@komen.org. Se habla español. |
Updated 05/31/22
