Treatments & Cure for Stage IV Breast Cancer

What Are the Treatments for Stage IV Breast Cancer?
By an eHow Contributing Writer

Stage IV breast cancer means breast cancer that has metastasized, or spread, beyond the breast to distinct areas of the body. The lungs, liver and bones are common sites of breast metastases. Treatment depends upon whether the cancer is hormone receptive, the site of the metastases and the individual patient. These treatments will not save your life, but they can extend the length and quality of life.

Hormone Therapy

1. Hormone receptive breast cancer depends on estrogen to grow and prosper. Estrogen blockers slow or stop the growth and spread of cancer. Tamoxifen is the most commonly prescribed estrogen blocker. It is taken in pill form, and in most cases can be taken for as long as the cancer responds to the treatment.

Targeted Therapy

2. Other targeted therapies are designed to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells by interfering with other essential components, in addition to estrogen, that the cancer needs to survive and grow. Bevacizumab, for example, blocks the supply of blood to the cancer cells. Trastuzumab blocks HER-2 positive cancer cells from growing.

Chemotherapy and Radiation

3. Chemotherapy and radiation may also be administered to stop the growth of cancer cells and/or slow the spread of the cancer. Radiation may be applied to only the breasts or to other areas of metastases to kill the cancer cells in other parts of the body. Chemotherapy is usually systemic--it goes through the whole body to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be administered intravenously (through a needle in the vein) or in pill form.