Metastatic breast cancer is a stage 4 cancer. It is a critical stage wherein the cancer cells have already spread out to the body, causing unbearable pain and extreme discomfort.
Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer have the following treatment options that are aimed to lengthen, improve and as much as possible maintain their good quality of life.
Hormonal therapy
Hormonal therapy is the most common step in treating women with metastatic breast cancer. In this treatment method, the patient that still has hormone receptors is given drugs to slow down or even stop the growth of metastatic breast cancer in their body.
It can also relieve the patient from the unpleasant symptoms that metastatic breast cancer gives. Hormonal therapy may also help prolong the life of the patient up to years.
Chemotherapy
If the metastatic breast cancer spreads too quickly in the body especially if it has reached the lungs or liver, chemotherapy is a good option in treating metastatic breast cancer.
It aims to stop the growth of cancer, relieve the patient from its symptoms and improve quality of life. But there is no guarantee that the cancer cells will not recur.
In fact, some studies proved that chemotherapy also kills healthy cells. It also has side effects like headache, weakness, nausea, and hair loss.
Biological Therapy
This type of treatment is only applicable to some women. It uses a drug formulated to stop the growth of metastatic breast cancer. Usually this type of treatment works hand in hand with other treatment options depending on the patient’s condition.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation helps reduce the size of the metastatic breast cancer and also helps relieve the pain that is caused by the disease especially in the bones. Radiation uses high energy streams or waves to kill and stop the growth of cancer in a specific area in your body.
Surgery
This type of treatment is subject to the patient’s health condition. Like patients with diabetes are less likely to be given this type of treatment option because it may further worsen their health.
Usually performing a surgery will control the spreading of the metastatic breast cancer in the body and reduce the unpleasant symptoms that the patient is undergoing.
Monoclonal Antibodies
This treatment option is recently developed to improve the quality of life for breast cancer patients. Monoclonal technologies make it possible to produce more antibodies that help fight cancer cells. However, it is an expensive medication and not all patients are compatible with this treatment option.
These treatment options for metastatic breast cancer are done to improve the quality of life of cancer patients. These are given based on cancer stage, the age of patient, and the overall health condition of the patient.
There are cases that these treatment options have successfully cured the disease, although there is always the chance that cancer cells would recur in the body. Your doctor is responsible of developing the right treatment plan for your body.
