- Can you explain what metastatic breast cancer is?
Metastatic breast cancer is the term used to describe when breast cancer has spread or “metastasized” to another part of the body, away from the breast and/or nearby lymph node regions where it originated. Breast cancer cells can spread to any part of the body, but they most often spread to the bones, liver, lungs and brain.
- Why does cancer metastasize?
Metastatic breast cancer develops when breast cancer cells enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system and get carried to other distant sites within the body where they can start to grow.
- For what percentage of breast cancer patients does their cancer metastasize?
Approximately 20% of people diagnosed with breast cancer will eventually develop metastatic disease.
- Are there any contributing factors as to why people would be more susceptible to their breast cancer metastasizing?
The major reasons why people develop metastatic breast cancer are because there is a delay in diagnosis and the cancer has already spread when it is identified, or because the initial treatment they receive for their breast cancer is ineffective at eradicating the disease.
- Is the number of breast cancer patients with metastatic breast cancer increasing? If yes, why is that so?
Survival rates for breast cancer have steadily increased over the last few decades, but so have the number of individuals diagnosed with the disease. Unfortunately, the number of deaths from breast cancer continues to rise each year, primarily driven by the increase in diagnoses.
- What is the life expectancy for metastastic breast cancer patients at the moment?
The average life expectancy for metastatic breast cancer is around 3 years but some patients can live 10 years or more.
- What treatments can metastatic breast cancer patients take at the moment?
There are many current treatments for metastatic breast cancer patients that include endocrine therapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
- What medical trials are available at present for these patients?
More patients are living longer with metastatic breast cancer because of continued improvements in treatment options for metastatic disease. This is largely due to clinical trials where the effectiveness of new therapeutic options are constantly being tested to improve survival rates.
- Can you tell me about the CAPTURE trial?
The CAPTURE clinical trial is an Australian clinical trial which will enrol 140 patients. It is open to both women and men diagnosed with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer that has returned after treatment with a CDK4/6 inhibitor. The trial will investigate if treatment with a PI3K inhibitor (alpelisib) in combination with fulvestrant, will improve outcomes for patients with metastatic breast cancer when compared with standard treatment.
- Can patients expect longer life expectancy if they part in a medical trial?
Breast cancer trials aim to find new and better treatments for patients affected by breast cancer. The hope is that this will lead to improvements in life expectancy for current patients and those in the future.
- There is a lot of talk about improved quality of life -can you tell me what these improvements are?
Quality of life relates to the overall enjoyment one gets from living. For cancer patients, improving quality of life can often be achieved through improving symptoms from their disease and focussing on their physical, functional, social and emotional well being.
- What is the focus of metastatic breast cancer research at the moment?
The current focus in metastatic breast cancer research is aimed at gaining a better understanding of why some breast cancers spread, and on developing new and improved treatments for metastatic disease.
- What would you like to see happen in the metastatic breast cancer research space moving forward?
A greater understanding of the reasons why some cancers spread will hopefully allow us to prevent the development of metastatic disease in the future. For those currently living with a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer, continued improvements in treatments are essential to improve life expectancy and quality of life.
To learn more about metastatic breast cancer, available treatments and medical trials, Breast Cancer Trials is holding a free virtual Q&A on Monday 7th February 2022 from 5-6.30pm featuring Professor Sarah-Jane Dawson, other experts and metastatic breast cancer patients. Go to https://www.breastcancertrials.org.au/qa-events to register for this free event and submit a question for the expert panel.
