Breast Cancer Awareness: What Is Metastatic Cancer And How Can Women Fight It?

Over the years, numerous women have fought and survived breast cancer. But amidst the survival lies the danger of metastasis. At present, the rate of metastatic cancer is on the rise; hence survivors need to be aware of this possibility.

According to Gulf News, the chance of having metastatic breast cancer is the main challenge for recovering women. Metastatic cancer refers to the recurrence of cancer in other body organs. The cancer cells have migrated to secondary symptoms and organs like liver, lung, brain, bone, and other body parts; explained Consultant-Oncology Dr. Norbert Dreier from the Burjeel Hospital Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Drier said metastasis is usually the final cancer stage and women need to be very attentive to detect the condition in time. Different factors contribute to metastatic cancer including the age of the patient and the time of detection. Women diagnosed with breast cancer in their early thirties are prone to metastasis especially if it is Her2 positive or hormonal and can be an aggressive cancer type that is possible to metastasize.

Oncologists worry that women are vulnerable to having the illness at a young age. Other factors attributed to getting cancer at an early age are smoking, obesity, poor diet, genetic factors, and lack of activity. Early menstruation is likewise a risk factor. In the UAE, numerous women have been diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30 unlike the world average for the onset of cancer, which is 40. An American study suggests that women can lower the risk of having the illness by doing regular exercise, maintaining a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI), practicing breastfeeding, and giving up smoking.

Metastatic cancer commonly manifests in the bone and lungs and the higher-risk sites are the brain and liver. When cancer recedes, the following six months is the time the patient needs to be mindful of her body and the chance of metastasis.

Meanwhile, CBS News reported that experts currently have a lot of work to do to improve the survival rate for metastatic breast cancer. According to Dr, Linda Vahdat, despite the experts' ability to understand how tumors grow and spread and efforts to do things that make patients feel better, it is still cancer that is killing the patients. Dr. Vahdat is the breast cancer research director at New York Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine.

Furthermore, she stressed that while Stage 4 Breast Cancer is not curable, it is a treatable disease. However, not enough treatments exist as of writing. Dr. Vahdat is currently working on a way to change the environment in areas where cancer cells can possibly spread.