Breast cancer is a very serious disease. Stage 4 breast cancer is characterized by the fact that metastases are observed not only in the place where the tumor originated, but also in neighboring organs. The prognosis for this ailment is unfavorable, the patient's chances of complete healing are minimal. Metastases usually affect the bones, lungs, and liver.
In order to increase the life expectancy of an oncological disease at a late stage, you need to turn to various cancer treatment methods.
How to understand that you are at risk?
Some women have an increased likelihood of developing breast cancer. Women who have inflammatory changes in the uterus and ovaries are predisposed to this disease. High risk of pathology in patients suffering from liver diseases and atherosclerosis. Bad habits also negatively affect the condition of the
mammary gland.Women whose close relatives have personally encountered breast cancer should be especially careful. Do not forget that mastopathy is a precancerous condition, so it must be treated in a timely manner.
When should I be wary?
How to understand if you have breast cancer (stage 4)? Symptoms may include:
- Fatigue, general weakness, poor appetite.
- Severe pain in the bone area. At the same time, unpleasant sensations do not pass with time and gradually increase.
- The appearance of nausea.
- Changes in weight (dramatic weight loss).
- Discomfort in the hypochondrium.
- The appearance of a strong cough.
- The onset of migraine.
How to recognize pathology by external manifestations?
A woman may notice the following adverse signs of the disease:
- Nipples change color and take on a different shape.
- Edema occurs on the skin of the mammary gland.
- You can independently feel the tumor in the chest area.
Diagnosis of the disease
Stage 4 breast cancer is a very advanced form of the disease. In order not to reach this state, it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive measures. An important preventive measure is regular self-examination of the breast: it should be carried out on the 5-11th day of the menstrual cycle.
Reliable information about the state of your health can be obtained during a mammogram. This diagnostic method is highly accurate and painless.
In order to make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to carry out radiography, MRI, CT, osteoscintigraphy. For breast cancer, a breast biopsy is performed and the patient is referred for a blood test. If metastases have affected the liver or lungs, a biopsy of these organs is necessary.
Ductography is also used: this method of detecting pathology is that a special substance with contrast is introduced into the milk ducts.
Women under 40 years old are recommended to have an ultrasound examination of the mammary glands. The reliability of this diagnostic method is about 70 percent. If a specialist suspects the development of a poor-quality process in the chest area, he appoints an analysis of the secretion secreted from the nipple.
Survival forecast
A woman’s life changes a lot when she is diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Survival has recently increased slightly, due to the fact that recently the pharmaceutical industry has been producing many high-quality drugs for treating the disease, new methods of treating the disease are emerging. Thanks to this, the picture became more rosy: 20 years ago, women suffering from this form of the disease did not live even a year.
Yet, sadly, it is necessary beforehand to prepare for the worst: the majority of patients die within eighteen months from the date of diagnosis. How many live with stage 4 breast cancer? It also depends on the body's ability to resist possible complications.
Often the cause of death is not the tumor itself, but the complications that it causes. Many women die from a common respiratory disease, because with breast cancer the body is weakly resistant to any infection: the fair sex greatly reduces immunity.
Only 10% of patients live more than a year. Relatives of patients should be caring and understanding: a woman should adequately spend the last months of her life. The patient should be protected from negative emotions, it should be protected from infection, so the visits of relatives should be limited. The patient’s weight must also be carefully monitored: often patients die from exhaustion.
Breast cancer (stage 4): symptoms and treatment
How can a disease be treated? The goal of therapy is to improve the well-being of a woman. It is necessary to prevent the further spread of metastases, to alleviate the symptoms of the disease. The choice of treatment technique depends on the following factors:
- The presence of a patient's sensitivity to the effects of hormones.
- An individual picture of the disease (effectiveness of previous therapeutic courses).
- The age of the patient.
- The location of the metastasis.
- The general condition of the woman.
- Personal opinion of the patient herself. It is important to understand what result she wants to achieve.
How to cure stage 4 breast cancer ? The main method of treating an ailment is complex drug therapy. Blood must be cleaned of harmful substances. Thanks to this procedure, the patient's condition improves significantly. Blood transfusion will help with anemia, a low platelet count.
Many patients have albumin deficiency, as liver cancer deteriorates in breast cancer. In some situations, the patient can not do without the use of intensive care.
Often perform surgical operations to remove the organ, because without surgical intervention it is impossible to reduce the general intoxication of the body.
Surgical methods
Surgery is currently underway if breast cancer is diagnosed (stage 4). The treatment is that the mammary gland is removed surgically. This method of treatment occupies a leading position in the treatment of ailment. With a mastectomy, in some cases, the breast and lymph nodes in the sternum are removed.
The goal of radical sectoral breast resection is to preserve the organ. During this operation, part of the muscles of the breast that were affected by the tumor are removed. This operation is not highly effective, after it the appointment of radiation therapy is necessary.
Metastases are a complicating factor in the disease and can occur if stage 4 breast cancer is detected. Metastases arising from a malignant formation in the mammary gland can be neutralized by chemotherapy. It reduces the severity of the symptoms of the disease. The number of chemotherapy sessions is determined by the doctor. The average duration of a chemotherapy course is at least 10 days.
Immunity strengthening
In order to strengthen the body, weakened by an ailment, use immunotherapy. It activates the body's defenses. Therefore, drugs that increase immunity are prescribed.
Rehabilitation measures used after surgery are aimed at the psychological adaptation of women. If desired, you can perform a plastic surgery to restore the mammary gland.
How to relieve severe pain?
If "Codeine" and "Tramadol" in large doses can no longer cope with pain, prescribe strong drugs that have a narcotic effect. The decision on the appropriateness of their use should be made by a medical consultation.
Most often, if stage 4 breast cancer is diagnosed, Morphine can be used. It well eliminates the pain symptom, but this drug has many contraindications. At its core, it is a powerful drug and causes many unwanted side effects. It adversely affects the respiratory system, disrupts the heart rhythm, so when taking this medication, the use of "Naloxone" is recommended. He will lead the patient back to normal, side effects will become less noticeable. "Morphine" is addictive, so you have to periodically increase the dosage. Therefore, it should be used in the extreme case when the pain becomes unbearable.
When using painkillers, sedatives should also be used, since stage 4 breast cancer can also shake the nervous system. "Imipramine" enhances the analgesic effect of analgesics, soothes the nervous system. This will reduce the dose of narcotic drugs.
If bone cancer is observed during breast cancer, the patient’s appetite decreases, Prednisolone should be used.
Used in stage 4 cancer and drugs related to antipsychotics ("Droperidol"). It has a good antiemetic effect, improves the well-being of women.
Treatment of breast cancer abroad
In Israel, the level of medical care is at a high level. In various clinics of this country, you can get high-quality medical care. Here, all the diagnostic measures necessary for breast cancer are carried out. Available examination on a modern apparatus RUTH. In Israel, you can perform a biopsy of all kinds, including vacuum and stereotactic.
The main method of treating breast cancer at a late stage is surgery. After a mastectomy (removal of the mammary glands), silicone implants can be inserted into the breast. Gland repair is also performed using the woman’s own tissue.
With the complex treatment of the disease, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are performed. Treatment with various strong medicines is also prescribed (Herceptin preparation).
You need to hope for the best, even if you have breast cancer (stage 4). The prognosis of survival is encouraging, because about 10% of patients live with the fourth stage of breast cancer for about five years. It is necessary to use all possible treatment options for the disease.