Breast Cancer: Stage 4 Treatment
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What You May Not Know About Breast Cancer: Stage 4 Treatments
Sometimes, breast cancer can sneak up on you without you knowing about it. Without any apparent sign or symptom, it can turn your life upside-down by revealing itself only in its later stage. By the time you find out about it, available treatment options have become limited and survival rates are significantly decreased.
Experts say the five-year relative survival rate for stage 4 breast cancer is 22 percent, which means that 22 percent of those diagnosed with this type of cancer will live for at least five years after diagnosis.
Despite the fact that being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer is almost like a death sentence, a number of women have amazingly survived the disease. Some of them reportedly experienced positive changes in their lives when they were diagnosed with the disease. They said they saw the importance of prioritizing themselves. Other than that, their diagnosis also helped them connect with people on a deeper level.
As we speak, breast cancer remains an incurable disease. However, there are treatment options that will help improve a patient’s quality of life.
What is Stage 4 or Metastatic Breast Cancer?
Stage 4 breast cancer means that the cancer cells have spread from the breast tissues to the nearby organs such as the bones, brain, lungs, and other parts. This stage is also often referred to as metastatic breast cancer. Metastasis is the term that’s used to refer to the spread of the breast cancer cells throughout the body.
Most cases of stage 4 breast cancer occur a few months or years after a person has completed cycles of treatment for previous breast cancer diagnosis. Although the cancer cells can spread to other areas of the body like the lungs, the disease is still treated as breast cancer and not lung cancer.
What You May Not Know About Breast Cancer: Stage 4 Treatments
For someone diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, an immediate treatment plan should be in place with the help of an oncologist. The goal of the treatment is not to remove all the cancer cells anymore but to stop the tumors from growing and spreading further. Breast Cancer Car Donations shares what you may not know about breast cancer: stage 4 treatment options:
1. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the key treatment option for stage 4 breast cancer because it works to stop the cancer cells from spreading and halt the growth of the tumors. Patients may be able to take it in orally or intravenously. In some cases, chemo can also be administered through the spinal fluid.
2. Hormone Therapy
When a patient’s breast cancer is identified as a hormone positive-receptor, the first treatment plan is hormone therapy. It can also be given together with chemotherapy. The drugs used in this treatment work to block estrogen from being released by the ovary, which contributes to the growth of the cancer tumors.
3. Targeted Therapy
This treatment option is usually administered if breast cancer is HER2-positive. The drugs used are usually given alongside chemotherapy and hormone therapy drugs. Other drugs are also used to block certain proteins that can help slow down breast cancer growth.
Donate to Save the Lives of Breast Cancer Patients
You can easily help breast cancer patients increase their chances of surviving the disease by donating a vehicle you no longer need to Breast Cancer Car Donations. Doing so will help needy patients receive the best treatments available for them. What’s more, you’ll also get to receive a tax deduction that you can claim in the next tax-filing season.
Once we receive your vehicle donation, we’ll sell it via auction. We’ll then use the generated funds to support the services being delivered by our IRS-certified 501(c)3 nonprofit partners. Through these services, uninsured and underprivileged breast cancer patients get financial assistance, counseling, therapies, and treatment while others receive access to early screening and breast cancer detection.
Our donation process is quick and easy. You can call us anytime at 866-540-5069 or visit our FAQs page to learn more about it. In case you’re wondering, we accept nearly all types of vehicles. Also, you can donate wherever you are in the United States since our vehicle donation program covers all 50 states.
Turn Your Clunker into a Life-Saving Instrument!
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Don’t miss the chance to save lives. Call us at 866-540-5069 or fill out our online donation form to bring hope to those who are going through their breast cancer journey.
Last Updated: October 2nd, 2023