13 Facts Everyone Should Know About Metastatic Breast Cancer

During the month of October I believe it’s important to recognize all the facts about breast cancer.  The month is very focused on pink ribbons and survivors, but there is little awareness or recognition of the 155,000 women and men in the United States who are living with metastatic breast cancer.

Before my own diagnosis, I wasn’t really very aware of what happened when breast cancer spread, or metastasized, to another part of the body such as the bones, liver, lungs or brain. The first time I really had a clear understanding of metastatic breast cancer was when my oncologist explained it to me during our discussions about my treatment options.

I had asked him why he was suggesting such an extensive chemotherapy regimen (4 treatments of Adriamycin/Cytoxan and 12 treatments of Taxol) when I had only Stage 2 cancer and he explained that it was because of the type of cancer I had.  He also gently but directly explained that this was the only chance he had to try and kill any/all of the cancer cells that were in my body, and that if there were any cells still left in me after treatment that were to eventually metastasize to another part of my body, he couldn’t really do anything to stop them from spreading.

That scared the s**t out of me, and I have to say it still does, sometimes.  But, I’m ever the optimist so here’s how I have learned to live with the ambiguity of this information.

First of all, it’s important to know if your surgeon found evidence of breast cancer in your lymph nodes, as that will give a good indication of whether or not the cancer has traveled to other organs in your body.  My lymph nodes were clear, so I’m extremely lucky.  But even if there’s no evidence of cancer in my lymph nodes, the cancer could have traveled through my blood stream.  Cancer cells are miniscule; a tiny pinhead would hold thousands of them.

Next, as you’ll know about me if you’re a frequent My Left Breast reader, I like to research things in order to feel in control.  To help keep myself from being completely paralyzed with fear, I have chosen to read and gain an understanding of metastatic breast cancer so that I am educated and aware of my options, should I ever have Mets. And my research brought me to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network, a national, independent patient advocacy group dedicated to women and men living with metastatic breast cancer.

MBCN has a lot of useful and accurate information about metastatic breast cancer. Below are their 13 facts that everyone should know about metastatic breast cancer.  I particularly like to focus on Facts #4 and #11.

1. No one dies from breast cancer that remains in the breast. Metastasis occurs when cancerous cells travel to a vital organ and that is what threatens life.

2. Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer to different parts of the body, typically the bones, liver, lungs and brain.

3. An estimated 155,000 Americans are currently living with metastatic breast cancer. Metastatic breast cancer accounts for approximately 40,000 deaths annually in the U.S

4. Treatment for metastatic breast cancer is lifelong and focuses on control of the disease and quality of life.

5. About 6% to 10% of people are Stage IV from their initial diagnosis.

6. Early detection does not guarantee a cure. Metastatic breast cancer can occur 5, 10 or 15 years after a person’s original diagnosis and successful treatment checkups and annual mammograms.

7. 20% to 30% of people initially diagnosed with early stage disease will develop metastatic breast cancer.

8. Young people, as well as men, can be diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.

9. Like early stage breast cancer, there are different types of metastatic breast cancer.

10. Treatment choices are guided by breast cancer type, location and extent of metastasis in the body, previous treatments and other factors.

11. Metastatic breast cancer is not an automatic death sentence. Although most people will ultimately die of their disease, some will live long and productive lives.

12. There are no definitive prognostic statistics for metastatic breast cancer. Every patient and their disease is unique.

13. To learn more about National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day on October 13 and to access resources specifically for people living with metastatic breast cancer and their caregivers, visit www.mbcn.org.