Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells to other areas of the body, often through the lymph system or bloodstream. A metastatic cancer, or tumor, is one that has spread from where it started into different areas of the body.
In the past, many people diagnosed with metastatic cancer did not live long. Even today, with advanced treatment options, recovery is not always possible, however doctors have the ability to treat it effectively and give people a good quality of life for months or even years.
Treatment options for metastatic cancer
Typically, metastatic cancer requires systemic treatment, which means the medications are given by the mouth or injected directly into the blood stream to reach cancer cells throughout the body. Common treatment options for metastatic cancer include:
- Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is used to treat metastatic cancer by destroying or damaging the cancer cells as much as possible. This treatment option is commonly used if the cancer continues to grow despite other forms of treatment, there are a significant amount of cancer cells in the organs (e.g., liver or lungs) and the cancer is growing quickly. - Hormone therapy
Cancers with high levels of hormone receptors, called hormone receptor-positive, use estrogen and progesterone to grow and spread. Hormone therapy is specifically designed to lower the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body to block these hormone receptors and stop the growth of cancer. - Immunotherapy
A new type of immunotherapy for metastatic breast cancer called Adoptive Cell Therapy (ACT) has shown to be successful in achieving long-term remission of metastatic cancer. - Radiation therapy
Localized treatment directly to the cancer area may be used to relieve symptoms and to control the disease in specific spots where the cancer has spread. - Surgery
Surgery to remove the primary tumor has shown increased survival rates in certain types of metastatic cancer.
If you’d like to learn more about Alpha Med Physicians Group and their advanced metastatic cancer treatment options, call 708-342-1900. We provide advanced, full-spectrum cancer care backed by experience, compassion and commitment.