The fourth stage of breast cancer is considered the most difficult to treat. An important part of breast cancer treatment is deciding which methods should be involved in the therapy.
Surgery
Radical resection for stage 4 breast cancer, or metastatic breast cancer, is usually not possible. Metastases can be removed only when they are single. Often they are multiple, and many of them are very small.
Palliative surgery can help manage symptoms, improve a patient's condition, and increase life expectancy. Surgery can be also used for tumors that cause ulcer formation on the skin.
Hormone therapy
In more than half of the breast cancer cases, tumor cells are sensitive to female sex hormones - estrogen and/or progesterone. This type of cancer is called hormone-positive (ER-positive and PR-positive, respectively).
To eliminate hormonal effects at the advanced stages of cancer, ovarian removal is sometimes performed called oophorectomy.
Chemotherapy
In metastatic breast cancer, chemotherapy is one of the first-line treatments. Various chemotherapy drugs are used for chemotherapy, including abraxane, doxorubicin, carboplatin, eribulin, ixabepilone, gemcitabine, vinorelbine.
The doctor may prescribe one chemotherapy drug or a combination of different ones. They are usually given intravenously.
Chemotherapy for patients diagnosed with stage 4 of breast cancer is carried out in cycles. After the administration of drugs, breaks are taken, necessary to restore the body.
Targeted therapy
In about 20% of breast cancer cases, tumor cells have an excess amount of the HER2 on their surface. When activated, this receptor stimulates the multiplication of cells. Such type of cancer is called HER2-positive. There are currently drugs that can block this receptor. They are called targeted, because, unlike chemotherapy drugs, their action is more focused.
For the treatment of stage 4 breast cancer, HER2 blockers are used. Sometimes they are combined with chemotherapy drugs. Treatment is given as long as the tumor responds to the drug and there are no severe side effects.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is used to treat stage 4 breast cancer with metastases in the bones, brain, and spinal cord when the tumor grows into the skin. It is aimed at eliminating pain and other symptoms.
Which treatment is most effective?
The choice of treatment tactics depends on the peculiarities of the breast cancer diagnosis.
If the tumor causes severe symptoms that need to be eliminated quickly, treatment begins with chemotherapy.
For hormone-positive cancer, hormonal drugs are used in combination with targeted drugs. For hormone-negative cancer, hormone therapy is ineffective; chemotherapy is used instead.
What's the prognosis for stage 4 breast cancer?
Treatment is given until it stops working or the woman develops severe side effects. The five-year survival rate for stage 4 breast cancer is 22%. In 2% of women, a stable remission is achieved.
New treatments for breast cancer
The group of scientists of the University of Adelaide conducted a study on a potential treatment for estrogen receptor-dependent metastatic breast cancer with androgen receptors activation. They demonstrated that the activation of the androgen receptors in patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, even those resistant to conventional treatments, can have the anti-cancer effect.
Besides, modern agents activating androgen receptors don't have side effects characteristic of natural androgens. This can improve the overall therapy experience significantly.
The latest news in breast cancer research is the identification of a gene responsible for breast cancer development (ZMYND8). This finding could initiate the elaboration of new treatment tactics.
How to undergo treatment of stage 4 breast cancer during a lockdown?
Right now, it doesn't seem possible for some of us to start or continue the treatment because of the lockdown limitations. Despite everything, it is possible. Medical tourism company Booking Health deals with all aspects of treatment organization during a lockdown.
Booking Health offers the latest innovative treatment programs and helps to find the right one for you. To start your stage 4 breast cancer treatment, leave a request on the Booking Health website, and a medical advisor will contact you in no time.
