Question 1

what are signs that someones body is shutting down due to stage 4 metastatic breast cancer?

Accepted Answer

It varies: Advanced cancers lead to increasing impairment of mobility due to weakness, loss of weight or organ failure. Your doctor can help you more by checking the patient.And the reports of their burden of cancer. Anyone who is eating well and fully mobile, is not close to 'shuting down'.

Question 2

my relative has metastatic breast cancer, going through the final stages. is it advisable for her daughter to undergo tests? is cancer hereditary?

Accepted Answer

Need More Info: As many as 10-15% of breast cancers in the us are believed to be hereditary.  These are linked to mutations of a particular group of genes called the brca genes.  There is a simple blood test to check to see if someone has a brca mutation.  If your relative was diagnosed at an early age and/or there are other family members w/breast or ovarian cancer, it may be appropriate for your relative.

Question 3

my mother in law is 76, has metastatic breast cancer in liver, on chemo now started giving things away.bad sign?

Accepted Answer

Bad sign?: Your mom's physicians have presumably explained to her that her cancer is not curable, and that the amount of time that she has left is unpredictable. It seems perfectly sensible and the right thing in this situation for her to share the things she has treasured with the people she loves. Perhaps you can help Mom prepare for what will eventually come by cherishing the times you've shared.

Question 4

what is metastatic breast cancer?

Accepted Answer

Cancer spread: In later stages of breast cancer, the disease is no longer confined to the breast.  When breast cancer is found in bone, brain, lung and/or liver - it is call metastatic breast cancer.

Question 5

what exactly is metastatic breast cancer?

Accepted Answer

Distal Spread: Metastasis occurs when a cancer spreads outside of its organ of origin. Therefore metastatic breast cancer is when breast cancer has spread to involve other organs outside of the breast such as the lymph nodes, liver, lung, etc.

Question 6

how can metastatic breast cancer progress?

Accepted Answer

Metatstatic: Metastatic means cancer cells spreading or moving to other sites. Breast cancer cells can spread via lymphatics to lymph nodes. Breast cancer cells can spread via the blood stream to other sites such as bone, lung, liver, etc.

Question 7

what does metastatic breast cancer really mean?

Accepted Answer

Cancer has spread: Metastatic, or stage 4 breast cancer, means the cancer has spread into other places in the body.  Breast cancer at this stage can be treated, sometimes for 10 or more years depending on the type, but it cannot be cured.

Question 8

what are the tests for metastatic breast cancer?

Accepted Answer

Many possibilities: Mri, pet scan, bone scan, x-rays, blood chemistry, etc.

Question 9

why is metastatic breast cancer difficult to treat?

Accepted Answer

It's not: There are many treatments for metastatic breast cancer which can control it for years.  Although it can be treated, it is rarely cured.  That is because cancer cells are constantly mutating, so treatments lose effectiveness.  Metastatic breast cancer requires constant treatment with either hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or biologic therapy.  Treatments are changed as they lose effectiveness.

Question 10

what's a natural way to treat metastatic breast cancer?

Accepted Answer

None effective: I do not know of any effective  "natural" treatments for breast cancer.  Letting nature take its course will lead to the death of the patient.  Conventional treatments do not cure metastatic breast cancer but may prolong life and make the patient more comfortable.

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Doctor answers about:

Final signs before death with metastatic breast cancer

A member asked:

What are signs that someones body is shutting down due to stage 4 metastatic breast cancer?

A member asked:

My relative has metastatic breast cancer, going through the final stages. is it advisable for her daughter to undergo tests? is cancer hereditary?

A member asked:

My mother in law is 76, has metastatic breast cancer in liver, on chemo now started giving things away.bad sign?

A member asked:

What is metastatic breast cancer?

A member asked:

What exactly is metastatic breast cancer?

A member asked:

How can metastatic breast cancer progress?

A member asked:

What does metastatic breast cancer really mean?

A member asked:

What are the tests for metastatic breast cancer?

A member asked:

Why is metastatic breast cancer difficult to treat?

A member asked:

What's a natural way to treat metastatic breast cancer?

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