Where and how does breast cancer metastasize?

Metastases are secondary foci of a malignant tumor. They can appear very quickly, which is typical for aggressive forms of breast cancer, and actively grow, disrupting the vital activity of the whole organism.

What determines the appearance of metastases?

  1. From the stage of the tumor, which began to treat cancer: the initial stages of breast cancer do not give metastases.
  2. From the methods of treatment and the duration of their application.
  3. From the form of breast cancer and its structure: breast cancer in situ does not give metastases and has a very high chance of complete cure.
  4. From the presence of an increased number of HER2-receptors, which indicates the rapid and aggressive growth of tumor cells.
  5. From age and general health.

How does breast cancer spread?

As a result of the influence of many factors, genetic mutations and even ecology, normal body cells begin to grow abnormally rapidly, forming a tumor.

Along with blood and lymph flow cells of the neoplasm get into other organs, giving metastases.

Lymphogenous metastases affect the regional lymph nodes (anterior thoracic, axillary, subclavian, supraclavicular, perigendric). Hematogenic secondary tumors are detected in the bones, lungs, brain, liver, kidneys.

Most often, breast cancer gives metastases in:

  • bones;
  • brain;
  • liver;
  • lungs.

Breast cancer metastasis

Symptoms

Diagnostics

Treatment of metastases

Bones of the skeleton

  • pain in the bones during palpation, movement and even at rest;
  • increased brittleness, frequent fractures.
  • scintigraphy of the skeleton;
  • PET-CT;
  • MRI.
  • surgery;
  • radiotherapy;
  • chemotherapy;
  • relief of symptoms.

Head and spinal cord

  • headache;
  • general malaise;
  • impaired vision;
  • dizziness;
  • nausea;
  • weakness;
  • change in mood and behavior.
  • neurological examination;
  • CT;
  • MRI.
  • surgery;
  • radiotherapy;
  • chemotherapy;
  • relief of symptoms.

Liver

  • jaundice;
  • extremely elevated liver enzymes;
  • general malaise;
  • nausea and vomiting;
  • decreased appetite and weight loss;
  • abdominal pain and bloating.
  • a test of liver function;
  • Ultrasound of the liver;
  • CT.
  • surgical removal of metastases;
  • radiotherapy;
  • chemotherapy;
  • relief of symptoms.

Lungs

  • chronic cough;
  • shortness of breath, inability to breathe "full breast";
  • frequent respiratory diseases.
  • chest fluorography;
  • CT;
  • MRI.
  • surgery;
  • radiotherapy;
  • chemotherapy;
  • relief of symptoms.
Such symptoms are often caused by other causes, other than metastases. Tell your doctor about the signs that bother you.

Breast cancer at the last stage

рак груди на последней стадии фотоIf you have been diagnosed with the last stage of breast cancer, this means that the tumor has affected not only the breast and the near lymph nodes but also other, distant organs. Therefore, this degree of cancer is also called metastatic.

Can metastatic breast cancer be treated?

Breast cancer is not a sentence. Modern methods of treatment of malignant formations contribute to the improvement of patients' health even at the last stage.

If during the immunohistochemical study was found hormone sensitivity of the tumor, the chances of successful treatment with properly selected therapy increase.

Breast cancer prognosis

The diagnosis of breast cancer is annually placed by one and a half million women in the world. Each of them asks a question about how much they live with such a disease. This question can not be answered unequivocally, but it should be remembered: the earlier a malignant breast tumor is detected, the easier it is to cure it.

The problem is that early breast cancers can occur without pronounced symptoms - the more important it is for each woman to undergo a check-up regularly.

Survival rates by stages

Breast cancer stage

5-years survival rate

0

100%

1

100%

2

93%

3

72%

4

22%
The 5-year survival rate for breast cancer indicates the number of patients (in percent) with breast cancer detected who survived the 5-year mark.

The diagnosed 0 stage of breast cancer means that malignant cells do not germinate into surrounding tissues. Survival with adequate treatment is 100%.

Patients with a stage I tumor under 2 cm in size also survive in 100% of cases.

If the tumor size is less than 2 cm and it spreads to the axillary lymph nodes or has a size of up to 5 cm without lymph node involvement, the cancer passes to stage II. The number of survivors of 5 years is 93% of patients.