Understanding Metastatic Breast Cancer: The Silent Spread to Vital Organs
Metastatic breast cancer is stage IV cancer, where cancer cells spread from the breast to vital organs. Treatment aims to manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
Understanding Metastatic Breast Cancer: What You Need to Know About Its Silent Spread to Vital Organs
What is Metastatic Breast Cancer?
Stage IV or metastatic breast cancer is a condition in which the cancer cells spread to other organs or tissues in the body other than the breast including the lungs, liver, brain or bones. The spread or metastasis occurs when new cancer cells form from the original tumor and intrude into the circulatory or lymphatic system to establish secondary growth in various specimens. Metastatic breast cancer can be identified years after a first diagnosis of breast cancer or diagnosed at the time of initial diagnosis as stage 4.
read more: Try 5 Leaves For Weight Loss, Better Digestion And Lower Cholesterol
Metastatic Breast Cancer Symptoms- Symptomizing depends with the organ affected by the cancer. Some of them are bone pain that is usually persistent when cancer spreads to the bones, shortness of breath when the cancer spreads to the lungs, and headaches or seizures in case of brain cancer or jaundice if the cancer is in the liver. Unfortunately, not all patients have red flag signs that would indicate that they have cancer at this stage. The patient should follow up after an interval of 4 to 6 weeks and sputum cytology should be repeated every 2 to 3 months The imaging scans are also important to detect the metastasis at an early stage.
Read more: Olive oil – Benefits and the correct ways to use it!
How metastatic breast cancer affects vital organs?
Breast cancer if it progresses to the next stage can cause a lot of harm to the vital organs of the body. It also causes pleural effusions in the lungs and breathlessness. In the liver, it can lead to liver failure, in the brain it may cause neurological deficit such as difficulty in recalling information, confusion, among others. Bone metastases make the bones become fragile, and thus prone to fracture, and may also cause severe pain.
We’re now on WhatsApp. Click to join.
Metastatic Breast Cancer- Though still cannot be treated, metastatic breast cancer can be treated with chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy. It is to slow the progress of cancer, and to help with its symptoms, thereby enhancing the patients’ well-being. Current scientific studies indicate that enhanced treatments may be on the horizon that may seriously increase survival rates of metastatic breast cancer.
Like this post?
Register at One World News to never miss out on videos, celeb interviews, and best reads.
