Which treatment is recommended for a 55-year-old woman with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer?

In the case of a 55-year-old woman with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, recommending endocrine therapy in combination with mastectomy aligns with established treatment protocols. Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is sensitive to hormones; thus, targeting estrogen through endocrine therapy plays a critical role in management. This treatment often utilizes medications such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) or aromatase inhibitors, which lower estrogen levels or block its effect on cancer cells.

Mastectomy is a surgical approach to remove the tumor and surrounding breast tissue, which is a common and effective treatment option in this scenario. Performing a mastectomy not only aims to eradicate the current breast cancer but also helps in reducing the risk of recurrence, especially in cases where the tumor is sizeable or presents a significant risk to the patient's health.

Although chemotherapy can be effective in certain scenarios, especially for aggressive or hormone receptor-negative cancers, it is not the primary recommendation for estrogen receptor-positive cancers due to the efficacy of endocrine therapy as a first-line treatment. Other options like immunotherapy and radiation therapy either do not apply or are not standard treatments in this situation. Hence, the combination of endocrine therapy with mastectomy is a well-supported approach, focusing on treating the cancer while considering patient outcomes