Breast Cancer Metastasis Treatment
Breast cancer that is recurrent and that spreads is known as metastatic breast cancer. There are treatments available that can allow patients to live productive, long lives. The best type of treatment can only be determined on a case by case basis, but it is beneficial for patients to know what some of their options are.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the administration of chemicals throughout the body that attack cancerous cells. Aside from cancerous cells, chemotherapy affects healthy cells as well; fortunately, cancerous cells are more susceptible to the drugs than healthy ones are. Chemotherapy is typically an option for metastatic breast cancer in patients where hormonal therapies have not been effective, the cancer is hormone receptor negative or it is spreading to the liver or lung tissue (also known as lymphangitic spread).
Hormonal Therapy
Hormonal therapies used in metastatic breast cancer patients are meant to inhibit estrogen from aiding the growth of cancerous cells. For patients who are pre-menopausal, there are a number of options including tamoxifen, megestrol, fluoxymesterone,and ovary shutdown treatments.
Post-menopausal women may be presented with some of the following hormonal therapies as options for treatment: anastrozole, exemestane, letrozole, fulvestrant, toremifene, fluoxymesterone and megestrol.
Investigational Treatments
Patients who have not been responsive to different treatments may be candidates for investigational treatments, or clinical trials. These treatments show promise, but have not been fully tested. Still, the trials give access to treatments that are not otherwise available, and may be better than treatments already on the market. Placebo pills are generally not used in clinical trials of treatments for metastatic breast cancer.
Targeted Therapy
Trastuzumab, known as Herceptin, is a commonly used targeted therapy for metastatic breast cancer. It is only used in patients with cancer that is HER2/neu positive. Herceptin attacks and stops the growth of cells that produce excess amounts of the HER2/neu protein. Unlike chemotherapy, Herceptin does not affect most healthy cells.This treatment is delivered intravenously every one, two or three weeks. It can be taken alone, but may be more effective when combined with paclitaxel, carboplatin or vinorelbine.
Holistic Treatments
Although seldom used on their own, holistic (also known as complementary) treatments for metastatic cancer can alleviate pain and symptoms. Some forms of holistic treatment include acupuncture, massage, herbs, hypnosis, meditation, vitamins, homeopathy, relaxation therapy and yoga.
Tags: breast cancer, metastatic breast, metastatic breast cancer, cancerous cells, have been
