Metastatic breast cancer is a term for breast cancer that has spread (metastasized) past the breast and associated lymph nodes to further areas of the body. Doctors determine the best chemotherapy for this cancer according to specific patient circumstances.
Systemic Chemotherapy
Doctors typically use systemic chemotherapy---which sends chemo drugs throughout the body in the bloodstream---for treatment of metastatic breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). In some cases, chemotherapy delivered locally to affected areas of the body also provides significant benefit.
Treatment Timetables
The best timetable for delivering chemotherapy varies according to the patient's response to treatment, Imaginis.com reports. Overall length of treatment may vary from three to six months, with individual treatments given each day, week or month.
High-Dose Chemotherapy
Some patients may also benefit from accelerated drug dosages or treatment timetables, according to Imaginis.com. However, not all research supports the use of high-dose chemotherapy.
Treatment Changes
Doctors may change chemotherapy medications in order to gain better results, or combine chemotherapy with other treatment approaches such as targeted biological therapy, the ACS reports.
Clinical Trials
Metastatic breast cancer patients may also receive experimental forms of chemotherapy in clinical trials, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Tags: breast cancer, areas body, cancer according, patients also
