What is Metastatic Breast Cancer?
It is a common knowledge that if breast cancer is detected early, it is treatable. However, if it is detected in its advance stage then chances of getting treatment is slim. In such a stage, the breast cancer will have spread to other organs hence this is called breast cancer Metastatic, meaning it has spread beyond the breast.
Metastatic Breast cancer in many cases is not treatable but can be managed. Thanks to the advance technology and intensive research carried out, doctors can be able to manage it in such a way that one can live for a long time than it was the case in the earlier years. Unlike breast cancer that is detected early, where the doctor recommends a series of treatment and the patient will be fine, breast cancer Metastatic involve more than just one organ that the doctor will be dealing with.
What Women Are More Concerned About Breast Cancer Metastatic?
The most dreadful part with Breast cancer metastatic is the pain. This is what new drugs are targeting. To help women have less painful symptoms. Bisphosphonates, which is a combination of drugs (Actonel and Fosamax which are pills and Zometa plus Aredia which are injected), have proven success. The aim here is to provide comfort and not cure. Even for women who are undergoing aggressive combination of treatment which include chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and even continuation of chemotherapy, they will need the “supportive drugs” that will help her through the side effects of these drugs.
Many women know that breast cancer metastatic is going to end their lives and they try as much as possible to live positively as much as they can. Currently drugs that are specifically meant for this stage are meant to prolong lives. More drugs are still under research and are awaiting clinical trial results, but till today, breast cancer metastatic is not treated but just manageable.
We have herbal remedies like Chinese herb Scutellaria barbata which is believed to slow down the growth of cancer. However, none of the herbal medicines have proven approved results and hence they are not that recommended as a treatment amonth the pacients.
Some Of The Treatments For Breast Cancer Metastatic
It usually includes either of the options:
Hormone therapy, like Tamoxifen or Arimidex. This is much more preferred option as compared to chemotherapy because of it less side effects. Many doctors have observed its ability to control breast cancer metastatic as compared to the so called aggressive approaches. However, not all women as suited for this treatment. Only those whose breast cancer are positive to estrogen-receptorAnother option is Herceptin. This drug works by targeting Her2 protein which is a rare occurrence and statistic show that it happens is every 4 breast cancer metastatic women. Study have already shown that it prolong life for almost a year. Another other option is Chemotherapy, which is as normal as any other Chemotherapy. It involves a series of drugs mostly of which fall in the anthracycline family. These drugs have been known to have side effect like heart problem and leukemia.
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