Hope and Progress in Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment

Understanding Metastatic Breast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer, breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and into the surrounding bones, skin, brain, live, or other organs, is acute. For that reason, the goal of treating stage IV metastatic breast cancer is prolonging the quality and duration of your life, including working toward remission if and when possible. 

The exact treatment for metastatic breast cancer will depend on the methods used in the past, if any, where the cancer has recurred, your current hormonal and menopausal status, and if it’s possible to use a precision medication. Fortunately, advancements in breast cancer research and treatment mean that targeting breast cancer today is making treatment more tolerable.

Advances in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Some forms of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, are known to destroy cancer cells while also harming normal cells. When this happens, you end up dealing with side effects. 

Today, researchers are looking for ways to make treatments more targeted with precision cancer medicines. These medications target the cancer cells specifically. Combined with immunotherapies, they work together to attack cancer cells with abnormalities while minimizing harm to normal cells. 

Targeted treatments like this can help reduce side effects caused by healthy cell death and tissue damage.

Tailored Treatment Approaches for Better Outcomes

Tailored approaches to treating breast cancer give you the opportunity to feel better throughout the therapy and to maintain a higher quality of life. Here are some of the latest approaches (and read the comprehensive overview from Dr. Charles Weaver, Medical Advisor for Learn Look Locate and Medical Oncologist here).

Hormone Receptor-Positive Cancers

Effective hormonal therapies extending survival now include removing the ovaries, which are responsible for producing most of the estrogen in the body. Using drugs to stop estrogen production, such as aromatas inhibitors, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDK), and tamoxifen are also options. 

HER2-Positive Cancers

Life-changing targeted therapies are helping improve survival and quality of life for those with HR-positive metastatic breast cancer. Combining CDK4/6 and endocrine therapy has shown positive results. 

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Between 12 and 15 percent of breast cancers are triple negative. This kind of cancer doesn’t grow when exposed to hormones like progesterone or estrogen. It also doesn’t grow due to an overactive HER2 pathway. Trodelvy, an antibody drug conjugate, attaches to Trip-2 receptors to deliver a drug (SN-38) that kills cancer cells. 

Bone Metastases and Local Recurrences

Strategies to enhance comfort and mobility are priority with bone metastasis and local recurrences. XGEVA, biphosphonates, and Strontium89 are three options to treat these conditions. 

The Power of Personalized Medicine

Genetic testing and precision therapies are revolutionizing treatment—there is now an emphasis on immunotherapy, a way of restoring the body’s natural defenses, that could help keep cancer in check. Personalizing care based on the specific kind of cancer you have can give you the best opportunity for health and recovery. 

Metastatic Breast Cancer FAQs

Is Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer Considered Terminal? 

Metastatic breast cancer is a kind of breast cancer that has spread to other areas in the body. Usually, this metastatic disease is not considered to be curable, making it terminal. The goal of treatment is to extend life and to improve the quality of life of the patient.

What Exactly Does Immunotherapy Do?

As a breast cancer treatment, immunotherapy helps your immune system attack the cancer cells that are dividing in the body. It can help with several kinds of cancer including those with triple negative status and higher levels of PD-L1 protein.

Discover More With Learn Look Locate

At Learn Look Locate, our goal is to empower you with the knowledge you need to make informed decisions during your breast cancer journey. We partner with BreastCancerTrials.org, to help you gain insight into the latest research, therapies, and drug trials available. Search clinical studies near me, and then discover the latest news on breast cancer at Learn Look Locate..

This article has been reviewed by Dr. Charles Weaver, Medical Advisor for Learn Look Locate and Medical Oncologist. 

Learn Look Locate is proud to present expert insights from Dr. Charles Weaver, founder of Cancer Connect and a key contributor to our mission at Learn Look Locate. Dr. Weaver’s expertise is an integral part of our joint newsletter with Cancer Connect, which has been empowering breast cancer patients for over a decade. The newsletter is distributed monthly to over 30,000 women who have opted in and will support them from diagnosis through treatment and survivorship. You can sign up for the newsletter by scrolling to the bottom of the page and submitting your email. 

Dr. Weaver’s involvement in Cancer First Calls and our Community Page reflects our commitment to providing comprehensive support and information to those affected by breast cancer. He continues to remain dedicated to the mission of educating and informing patients of their options. Read more about Dr. Weaver’s breast cancer insights here. 

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you can schedule your Cancer First Call here.