According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is among the most common types of cancer affecting women in the United States, with approximately one in eight women developing the condition at some point in their lives. The earlier your cancer is diagnosed, the longer your life expectancy.
Thinking Pink
Facts
According to the American Cancer Society, stage IV breast cancer is characterized by the metastasis of cancer cells to distant lymph nodes and organs. The cancer most commonly spreads to the lungs, liver, brain or bones.
Life Expectancy Prognosis
The American Cancer Society estimates the 5 year survival rate for stage IV metastatic breast cancer to be 20 percent.
Treatment Options
Radiation therapy and surgery may be used in specific situations; however, it will not likely be curative since the cancer has spread beyond the breast and surrounding tissue.
Extending Your Prognosis
Treatment for stage IV breast cancer may include chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted therapies like Avastin (which blocks blood vessel growth in new tumors, slowing their growth) or Herceptin (which may extend your prognosis if given with your initial chemotherapy).
Breast Cancer Statistics
According to the American Cancer Society, just over 40,000 American women die from breast cancer each year. The good news, however, is that incidence of breast cancer has decreased by 2 percent each year from 1999 to 2006.
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