Metastatic Breast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer is the term that is used for describing breast cancer, which has spread from the original place in the breast to other body organs or tissues.

The malignancy caused in the tissues of the breast leads to breast cancer.

This type of cancer is more devastating and dreadful. Though it causes less death in women than any other cancer or cardiovascular diseases it is said to be the second highest leading cause of deaths in women.

Although rare, breast cancer can also occur in men (Male Breast Cancer). Firstly, let us gain some knowledge on cure and diagnosis of breast cancer before knowing about Metastatic breast cancer.

Many breast sparing operations have come up in recent years saving women from that disastrous feeling and experience. Earlier the diagnosis of breast cancer always involved the removal of the breast and the surrounding skin, muscles underneath the breast and the lymph nodes underneath the arm. Today’s method of diagnosis is well advanced without the above mentioned procedure radical mastectomy.

The breast cancer is of several types some of which are the ductal carcinoma which begins in the cells of the ducts and is the most common among other types.

The second one is the lobular carcinoma which takes its origin in the lobules, very often found in both breasts. The third type is the inflammatory breast cancer which is the uncommon type showing symptoms like warm, red, and swollen breasts.

The risk of developing the disease is high in people who are aged and have family history of developing cancer. The other risk factors for breast cancer include the following:

• Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest.
• Older age.
• Menstruating at an early age.
• Older age at first birth or never having given birth.
• A personal history of breast cancer or benign (noncancer) breast disease.
• A family history, mother or sister with breast cancer.
• Breast tissue that is dense on a mammogram.
• Taking hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.
• Drinking alcoholic beverages.
• Being white.

What is Metastatic Breast Cancer?

The most breathe taking type of breast cancer is the Metastatic breast cancer. This type means that breast cancer that has not just come back, but has made its way through the bloodstream and spread to other organs of the body.

The other parts or organs which are affected by this dreadful metastatic breast cancer are the bones, liver, or brain. Studies show that breast cancer spread may be present at first diagnosis or after recurrence.

Surprisingly according to studies the women with metastatic breast cancer are said to live for years with the disease under control. However for these women, living with a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer is like living with a chronic disease.

It is described as chronic as the metastatic breast cancer can just stay like that or mover very rapidly or enter into remission and be active, its behavior is completely unpredictable.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment

To control this metastatic breast cancer the treatment should go on of course with breaks in between each treatment method to make the patient comfortable. The treatment of metastatic breast cancer should aim to make the patient lead a better and a longer life.

No one can tell how long one will live with metastatic breast cancer. There are several different experiences of the patients with metastatic breast cancer regarding their survival rates. The survival may be in some women for some seasons and for some many years this is because the disease differs in its own way in each woman, also the women over all health and other factors are taken into account to analyze this.

The metastatic breast cancer treatment aims to relief pain and decrease the severity of the symptoms with very few side effects. Thus in this phase of breast cancer known as the metastatic breast cancer, the treatment goal is to extend life as long as possible with the best quality of life possible.