During
recurrence or metastasis the oncology strategy
shifts to account for the history of the patient,
and the fact the the metastatic patient is
not in the same state as a nonmetastatic one.
Some
patients may present in the metastatic condition.
Others may have gone through an entire regimen
of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation followed
by a period of undetected disease.
Metastases
Treatment
of metastatic breast cancer is designed to
alleviate or prevent suffering and prolong
life. Cure has not been possible with current
therapies.
Prognosis
Prognosis
depends on the site or sites of relapse
Better
Worse
Bone
Single
site
Hormone
positive
Visceral
Multiple
sites
Hormone
negative
Metastatic sites
Sites
of metastatic disease
Factors
to consider
Bone
Lung
Pleura
Liver
Soft
tissue
Central
nervous system
Site
of metastatic disease
Hormone
receptor status
Symptoms
Past
therapies
Radiation
therapy is most often used for brain and spinal metastases.
Chemotherapy
is the treament of choice for rapidly growing liver
or lung metastases.
Homone,
chemotherpay, and radiation are effective for bone
and soft tissue metastases.
