Patients diagnosed with stage IV or metastatic breast cancers have disease that has spread from the affected breast to one or more distant sites in the body. Historically, metastatic breast cancer has been considered incurable; the goal of treatment has been to provide relief from symptoms and prolong the duration and quality of life. However, there have been some important advances resulting in the addition of many more treatment options for managing this disease. These include the now widespread use of taxane chemotherapy, the development of targeted therapies, and the development of more active hormonal therapy drugs.

The following is a general overview of treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Treatment typically consists of chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy. The presence of hormone receptors in the breast cancer cells determines whether hormonal therapy is a treatment option. If the cancer does not have estrogen or progesterone receptors, the mainstay of treatment is chemotherapy. Treatment may also include surgery, radiation, targeted therapy, or a combination of these treatment techniques. Multi-modality treatment, which utilizes two or more treatment techniques, is increasingly recognized as an important approach for improving a patient's chance of cure or prolonging survival. In some cases, participation in a clinical trial utilizing new, innovative therapies may provide the most promising treatment.

Circumstances unique to each patient's situation may influence how these general treatment principles are applied. The potential benefits of multi-modality care, participation in a clinical trial, or standard treatment must be carefully balanced with the potential risks. The information on this website is intended to help educate patients about their treatment options and to facilitate a mutual or shared decision-making process with their treating cancer physician.

• Hormonal Therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted Therapy
• Treatment for Stage IV Disease with Specific Characteristics
  • Treatment for Bone Metastases
  • Treatment of Local-Regional Recurrence
  • Treatment of Stage IV No Evidence of Disease