Systemic treatment kills or slows the growth of cancer cells that have spread in your body. Which systemic treatments will be most effective are determined by many different methods, including an axillary node dissection (which is discussed fully in the Diagnosis section). If you are "node positive," you may need more aggressive treatment than if you are "node negative." There are two main types of systemic treatments: chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

CHEMOTHERAPY:
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs which destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy stops cancer cells from multiplying at different points in the cancer cells' life cycle.

HORMONE THERAPY:
Hormones are substances that are naturally produced in your body, however they may help some cancers grow faster. Hormone therapy stops the cancer cells from responding to your bodies hormones, stopping or slowing your cancer's growth.