Treatment of metastatic breast cancer

This is an automatically translated article.

Metastatic breast cancer is a cancerous tumor that has spread to other parts of the body. Although there is no cure for metastatic breast cancer, specialists can choose from a number of treatments that help slow the disease's progression and help patients maintain their quality of life. live better. Especially with the development of modern medicine, current treatment methods can also prolong the life of patients.

1. Metastatic breast cancer

Metastatic breast cancer (also called terminal breast cancer) is breast cancer that has spread to another part of the body. The most common sites of metastasis are the liver, brain, bones, or lungs.
Cancer cells can break away from the original tumor in the breast and travel to different parts of the body through the blood or lymphatic system - a large network of nodes and vessels that work to eliminate remove bacteria, viruses and cellular waste products.
Breast cancer can recur in a part of the body months or years after it is first diagnosed and treated. About 30% of women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will develop metastatic disease.

A metastatic tumor in another part of the body made up of breast cancer cells. So, if breast cancer spreads to the bone, the metastatic tumor in the bone is made up of breast cancer cells, not bone cells.
Metastatic breast cancer is not all hope of cure. Many people go on to live long with breast cancer at this stage. And there are many treatment options for metastatic breast cancer as well as new drugs being tested. While metastatic breast cancer may not go away completely, treatment can control it for a number of years. Various treatment methods can be used, such as: single or combined... Cancer can sometimes be active and then go into remission at other times.

2. Difference with metastatic breast cancer treatment

When diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, treatment will focus on treating and preventing the cancer from coming back. With metastatic breast cancer, the goal of treatment is to slow its growth for as long as possible with as few side effects and pain as possible.
As medical therapies improve, experts hope to one day treat this form of cancer like diabetes and its chronic conditions. This means that the doctor will be able to provide treatment for several years or even decades.

3. Methods of treating metastatic breast cancer

Treatment options for each case of metastatic cancer will be indicated by doctors based on a number of factors such as: where is the cancer?, the type of cancer cells the patient has; Disease symptoms; The patient has been treated for breast cancer in the past; The health and age of the patient; How to choose the right treatment method.
Accordingly, the doctor will be the one to provide the right options for the actual condition of the patient. At the same time, the patient also needs to learn as much detail as possible about the treatment options that he can apply. In addition, patients also need to learn more about possible side effects during treatment.
These common treatments that can be used alone or in combination for a specific disease include:
Hormone therapy: If the cancer is fueled by estrogen or progesterone, then using Hormone therapy drugs can help shrink tumors. That is to say, these drugs inhibit hormone secretion that starves cancer cells by targeting the hormones and cancer cells need to grow. Targeted therapy for HER2 prevention: Some breast cancer cells have too much of the HER2 protein. This makes them capable of growing and spreading. Drugs that target this protein can help slow the growth of HER2-positive breast cancer.

Chemotherapy: These drugs will kill cancer cells as well as any other fast growing cells. The benefit of chemotherapy is that it can help shrink tumors quickly. But treatment often has more side effects than endocrine or targeted therapy. People who receive this treatment often experience common side effects such as hair loss, vomiting or nausea, and fatigue. Chemotherapy treatments will be applied in cycles. After each phase of treatment, the patient can rest and then the body will have time to recover.
Cases of breast cancer that are not stimulated by hormones or the HER2 protein are triple negative. These subjects need chemotherapy treatment.
Radiation therapy and surgery: These therapies are often used for specific cases such as treating cancer that has spread to the liver, bones, or brain. Targeted treatments: Targeted drugs help stop the growth and spread of cancer cells. They work differently from chemotherapy in that they only attack the cancer, and the side effects are different in each case. Sometimes they work when chemotherapy drugs don't work. They can also help other treatments work more effectively. Immunotherapy: This therapy helps strengthen the body's immune system, helping to better treat cancer. Currently, immunotherapy is used along with chemotherapy treatments to treat some triple-negative breast cancers. Alternatively, patients may consider participating in a clinical trial. It could represent the opportunity to access new and more effective treatments for metastatic breast cancer.

4. Some signs to recognize the operation of the treatment process of metastatic breast cancer

After several months of treatment, you will be checked with imaging tests to see if the cancer has grown, shrunk, or stayed the same. In addition, the doctor will also do a physical examination and communicate with the patient if there are any symptoms.
Your doctor may order tests to check for markers of the tumor. Because some cancerous tumors can release these markers and appear in the blood of the patient. If the test shows these signs are increasing, it means the cancer is growing or spreading.
Doctors will review all test results and symptoms to be able to decide if isotropic treatment is effective. Sometimes the cancer is no longer visible on the scanner. The doctor may conclude that there is no evidence of disease. However, the cancer is not completely gone. The cancer cells are still in the body, so the patient will continue to have treatment.

5. Temporarily stopping treatment for metastatic breast cancer

The case of stopping treatment for metastatic breast cancer can happen if the patient is affected by some side effects of the treatment. However, the patient needs to talk to the treating doctor so that he can be advised to avoid affecting the patient's health.

6. Treatment not working

Cancer sometimes doesn't respond to certain drugs during treatment and it still finds a way to grow and spread (recur). If this happens, talk to your treating doctor so you can choose a more suitable treatment option.
When the patient's treatment is not successful with the current treatment, it is possible to switch to another treatment method. At this time, the patient and the treating doctor will jointly analyze and choose a new more suitable treatment method. However, the patient should consider the potential side effects of an upcoming treatment option.

7. Methods to improve both physical and mental health for patients with metastatic cancer treatment

Eat well and be physically active: The patient can apply gentle exercises. This can help with better treatment. Exercising to relax muscles will make the person feel strong and have a feeling of reducing fatigue and stress. At the same time, it also helps to sleep deeper and better. Love of loved ones: Friends and family can be a source of motivation to help patients get through treatment better. Patients should be able to share their feelings with family members, for example: eating together, watching movies together, participating in outdoor activities... These activities will help the patient feel life. many more interesting things. Get emotional support: You may consider joining a support group for people with metastatic breast cancer. Here, the patient can talk to people in the same situation either directly or indirectly, which in turn helps the patient feel more connected. Or you can talk to a professional counselor who will help you manage your emotions as you go through treatment. Meditation: Use deep breathing and relaxation to relieve stress. Enjoy life: You can spend a lot of time doing the things that bring you joy in life. For example: draw a picture, dance to your favorite tune, always smile, etc. Unlike early breast cancer, late-stage breast cancer often has a low prognosis and treatment becomes more difficult. more difficult. Accordingly, if breast cancer is detected early, the prognosis for treatment is very high, even if it is completely cured and not recurred. Therefore, breast cancer screening is essential, especially for those at high risk of breast cancer.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has been implementing a breast cancer screening package for women of different ages. At Vinmec, there is a full range of necessary medical equipment, a system of modern medical machines to perform methods of examination, diagnosis, testing, imaging, and treatment of breast cancer at many stages. paragraph. Accordingly, the breast cancer examination and treatment process at Vinmec is carried out by a team of highly qualified doctors and nurses who have undergone training and are technically certified, able to handle quickly and effectively. . Therefore, when using Vinmec's breast cancer screening and early detection package, customers can detect cancer even when there are no symptoms, providing a much higher chance of definitive treatment. .
For detailed advice on breast cancer screening packages as well as effective treatment methods at Vinmec, please come directly to Vinmec health system nationwide or register online HERE .