There is hope for you and although you’ve been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer your life isn’t over! Metastatic breast cancer is stage four breast cancer that has progressed and spread to various parts of the body such as the bones, liver, brain, and lungs.
READ: 7 Mindfulness Exercises That Can Help Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients
Receiving such news from a doctor can be devastating, overwhelming and can take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. You may experience anger, anxiety, doubt and feel hopelessness but remember all these feelings you have are valid and normal.
Many people have been where you are emotionally but here’s the good news, you can live a productive life at this stage. You have plenty of options that you can consider for treatment according to breastcancer.org and under careful consideration of your physician hopefully, you can find a treatment that works best for you.
Here are six treatment options you can consider discussing with your physician to see if they are a good fit for you.
READ: 8 Myths About Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment You Shouldn’t Believe
This treatment option can be effective for you if the cancer has not spread to other parts of your body. With this treatment, your doctor may suggest surgery to remove the breast tumor at the first diagnosis and to prevent broken bones or cancer cell blockages to alleviate pain and other symptoms you may be experiencing.
If your cancer is growing significantly and is found within your liver or lungs this option could be recommended in combination with other medicines to extend your livelihood.
The breastcancer.org says research has shown that chemotherapy medicine such as: Adriamycin, Doxil, Taxol, Xeloda, Gemzar, Navelbine, Halaven, Cytoxan, Caboplatin, Taxotere, Abraxane, Cisplatin, Ellence, and Ixempra are helping women with metastatic breast cancer live longer.
Cryoablation is a treatment is for women who may not be good candidates for surgery but don’t let this discourage you from seeking more information about this option. During this procedure, a catheter-type probe is inserted through the skin and to the tumor.
The doctor guides the probe using an ultrasound or CT scan and then uses pressurized argon gas to freeze and destroy the cancerous tissue. This technique is used more often with chemotherapy and hormonal therapy solutions.
Hormonal therapy medications are used to help shrink or slow down the growth of hormone-receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer. Medicines such as Aromasin, Faslodex, and Tamoxifen are commonly used because it lowers and blocks the estrogen amounts within the body.
If the cancer stops responding to the medication, your doctor may suggest a different hormonal therapy medication that may work better for your body.
This therapy option may be suggested if you are having certain symptoms such as controlling the cancer in a specific area of your body, to open a blocked airway to improve breathing, reduce pressure on a pinched nerve, ease pain or reduce internal bleeding or bleeding from the skin caused by tumor invasion.
Targeted therapy uses immunotherapy medicines and the power of your immune system to fight off the cancer cells.
With this treatment, doctors target specific cancer cells, along with medications with the help of your natural antibodies to attack and destroy the cancer cells.
Here is a list of target therapies doctors use to fight the cancer: Afinitor, Avastin, Enhertu, Herceptin, Ibrance, Kadcyla, Kisqali, Lynparza, Margenza, Nerlynx, Perjeta, Phesgo, Piqray, Talzenna, Trodelvy, Tykerb, and Verzenio.
Although stage four breast cancer can seem like a death sentence don’t give up hope. If one method does not work for you then try another treatment. With the help of your medical team hopefully you will be able to find the best solution to help you live a productive life.
READ: These 7 Exercises Will Help Ease Your Pain After Breast Cancer Surgery
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