8 Myths About Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment

While metastatic breast cancer, also called Stage IV cancer, is not curable, it is treatable. “You can’t eliminate the cancer, but you can slow down the progression of the disease,” says David Spiegel, M.D., a proessor at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, CA. The range of treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, endocrine (hormone-blocking) therapy, targeted drugs, and immunotherapy. Metastatic breast cancer is different from terminal cancer, which occurs when no more treatment options are effective against a cancer and treatment centers on comfort instead.

在早期乳腺癌的目标是影响力ate all cancer cells. “Treatment in the early stages is to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back,” says Dr. Riaz. Because there is no cure for metastatic breast cancer, the treatment goal is to manage the cancer, while balancing treatment effectiveness and side effects. The same treatments—chemotherapy, radiation, endocrine (hormone-blocking) therapy, targeted drugs, and immunotherapy—can be used for early- and late-stage breast cancer. However, they will not cure MBC.

The truth is early-stage breast cancer is treated more aggressively because the goal is to remove all cancer cells and reduce the risk of recurrence. With late-stage breast cancer, which is not curable, the goal is tomanagethe cancer so that you can live well for as long as possible. A typical pattern is to use a treatment for as long as it works and is tolerable to the patient, before moving on to the next treatment.

If you’ve had Stage I, II, or III breast cancer, no matter what the treatment, there’s a possibility that your cancer will advance to Stage IV cancer. In fact, nearly 30% of patients diagnosed with early-stage cancer will develop metastatic breast cancer at some point. “Nothing we can do can one-hundred percent guarantee the cancer won’t ever come back,” says Dr. Riaz. Of the more than 150,000 people living with metastatic breast cancer, three-fourths were originally diagnosed with earlier-stage cancer.

有一个常见的误解clinical trials, some participants receive a placebo or no treatment. That’s not true. If you’re not receiving the treatment being tested, “you will get what is the best standard of care for the cancer you have,” says Dr. Spiegel. Yes, there are risks in receiving a new treatment. They will be spelled out for you. It’s up to you whether to participate. But you also have the right to opt out at any time.

Not true. Treatment is personalized based on characteristics of your cancer and how well different treatments work for you. For example, hormone-blocking treatments are used for cancers that test positive for hormone receptors. Genetic tests, age, overall health, and other medical conditions also guide treatment. “We look at what sort of things are important to the patient,” says Dr. Riaz. For example, if there is an oral medication available, it may be easier than an infusion if you don’t live close to the treatment facility.

The answer to the question, “Can I do what I normally do?”—for instance, enjoy family, travel, or work—is frequently yes. That said, what you can do is highly individualized. It depends on your response to treatment, which often can be adjusted based on side effects. Some people work full-time; others don’t, for example. You may be able to adjust treatment times to accommodate travel plans. “Our aim is to support patients living their lives as normally as possible,” says Dr. Riaz.

Every treatment for metastatic breast cancer has varying and individualized side effects, depending on the medicine or procedure and your response to it. Some side effects that were debilitating in the past are better managed today. “We’re much better at treating certain side effects, such as nausea and diarrhea, and not all treatments cause hair loss,” says Dr. Riaz. The goal is to balance effectiveness with side effects so “people are able to maintain their quality of life,” she adds.

You’ll hear things about metastatic breast cancer that just aren’t true. “My advice for patients who have questions is to talk to their health care provider,” says Dr. Riaz. Your health care provider can answer your questions and direct you to the best resources. If questionable information comes from friends or family, Dr. Spiegel suggests saying, “I have an excellent team of physicians helping me. I’ll ask them, but they’re keeping me informed about thebest treatmentsfor me.”