Sometimes breast cancer cells spread from their primary site, become active later and form a secondary breast cancer, also called metastatic breast cancer, somewhere in the body. Treatment for these cancers varies from patient to patient and is determined by a doctor based on to where or how the secondary cancer spread.
Factors to Determine Treatment
A physician considers several factors before deciding treat secondary breast cancer. The part of the body to which the cancer spread is important in the treatment decision, and reviewing prior treatments and knowing what already has worked well is helpful. The patient's general health and whether the breast cancer survivor is pre- or post-menopausal are factored in. The cancer itself also is taken into account because it is important to know whether the cancer cells are growing rapidly or slowly, according to Cancer Research UK.
Hormone Therapy
When the cancer cells are studied, they are checked for estrogen receptors. Cells with many estrogen receptors are classified as ER positive. Cells that have many progesterone receptors are classified as PGR positive. Because these cancers react to changes in hormone levels, they tend to respond well to hormone therapy, which is used to prevent the growth of cancer cells. Some of these treatments are used primarily to block hormones, while others are used to increase hormone levels, depending on how the cancer cells respond, according to WebMD.
Cancers that are ER or PGR negative do not tend to respond to hormone therapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of cancer-fighting drugs that are distributed throughout the body either orally or intravenously. Often it is used as the treatment of choice for cancer that has spread to the lungs or liver. Chemotherapy may be used instead of hormone therapy when cancer cells are hormone receptor negative, but this treatment includes more side effects than hormone therapy.
Among chemotherapy's side effects are nausea and vomiting, hair loss, mouth sores, higher than normal risk of infection, bruising, bleeding and fatigue, according to WebMD.
Radiation
Radiotherapy can target cancer in a specific part of the body, making it preferable for cancer that is contained in one area. According to Cancer Research UK, often radiation is useful in the treatment of secondary breast cancer when it occurs in the bones, brain or on the skin near the breast area. Side effects are typically limited to the area being treated and may include redness, swelling or blistering of the skin, fatigue, local hair loss, swallowing problems and cough or shortness of breath, according to the American Cancer Society.
Tags: cancer cells, breast cancer, hormone therapy, secondary breast cancer, according WebMD, Cancer Research, cancer spread
