Treatments For Metastatic Breast Cancer
The stage of breast cancer when cancer cells do not remain in the original cancer site and spread out to other parts of the body is called metastatic breast cancer. This is the stage when the cancer is fully advanced. Even if you have been successfully treated for breast cancer, there is a chance that some cancer cells do not die, and later spread out through blood and lymphatic vessels to other body organs. This process is known as metastasis of breast cancer.
Metastatic breast cancer can develop in two ways: It is possible that the treatment for the primary breast cancer is over, but some cancer cells that did not die start replicating and redeveloping into new cells, and spread out to other organs, or, it is possible that the treatment is ongoing, but cells still break out and spread to other organs. It is often the case that the diagnosis of metastatic disease is so late when the treatment is ongoing, that chances of survival become very thin.
Unfortunate as it may be, breast cancer has the maximum chances of metastasizing. When this happens, bones, and organs like the lungs and brain starts showing abnormal changes, which means they’re starting to develop cancer cell growth. If you get lung cancer or liver cancer or any other cancer after getting breast cancer, it is probably just breast cancer metastasis and not a new cancer. This is good news, since breast cancer has low mortality rates and can be treated. However, if the new cancer if in the breast which did not have cancer previously, it may be a new cancer.
Metastatic breast cancer develops in almost thirty out of hundred women who have had breast cancer, which makes knowledge about it so necessary. When the cancer has not metastasized to organs like the lungs and brain, or when there is a presence of estrogen and progesterone hormones in cancer tissues, the cancer is treatable. Also, if you have already not undergone many treatments for your previous cancer, and the malignant cells show some change after therapies, your treatment can be successful.
Since a total cure of metastatic disease is very difficult, the treatment involved is very long and cumbersome. A combination of Systemic therapy and regular monitoring is needed. This involves chemotherapy, hormonal treatment and radiation therapy, and for monitoring, regular mammograms, breast ultrasounds, CT scans, MRIs, PET scans, bone scans are done. Treatment also varies with purpose, chemo and radiation therapies concentrating on the whole body cure, surgeries like lumpectomy and mastectomy on specific body parts, and oral aspirin intake along with other drugs focusing on lessening physical pain of the victim.
Metastatic breast cancer is the worst phase of your cancer, and you should know that scientists are working day and night to invent better methods for prolonging and normalizing your life. Because the prognosis is not usually determined, you have to decide when to end your treatment. Ending treating is necessary because a longer treatment comes with more and more side-effects. Consult as many people as you want, never hesitate to ask your doctor any question, any number of times, but in the end, it all comes down to you to make the decision.
