Introduction
Breast cancer, also known as breast carcinoma, can be divided into different stages. The decisive factors here are tumour size, lymph node involvement and the presence of metastases. If one speaks of breast cancer in the final stage, daughter tumours are present, which means that the breast cancer is not only located in the breast, but has also manifested itself in other organs and tissues. The classification of a breast cancer into the different stages has an influence on the prognosis and the following therapy of the disease.
Symptoms of end-stage breast cancer
The symptoms of end-stage breast cancer are varied and depend on where the metastases are located. Depending on the size of the tumour in the breast, it may be visible from the outside (e.g. through retractions during movement) or palpable as a lump. If the so-called inflammatory breast carcinoma is present, the breast often shows typical signs of inflammation such as reddening, overheating and painfulness.
The most common sites for daughter tumours are the lungs, bones, liver and brain. If the lungs are affected, the consequences can be coughing, shortness of breath and bloody sputum. If bones are affected, they can cause severe pain, possibly even fractures due to the porous nature.
Metastases in the liver can manifest themselves, for example, by yellowing of the skin and a strong palpable enlargement of the liver. If the brain is affected, loss of function can manifest itself in the form of paralysis, seizures or changes in character. Scattered breast cancers often also manifest themselves through the so-called B-symptoms: patients complain of fever, unwanted weight loss and night sweats. However, since each organ can be affected in different ways, the symptoms are very individual.
Signs of end-stage breast cancer
Only rarely are patients already in the final stages of the disease when they are first diagnosed with breast cancer, more often it is that a previously treated cancer grows again over the years. As described above, the signs of the final stage usually depend on the organs that are newly affected. Thus, the picture can vary from a bloody cough to yellowing of the skin and eyes. The aforementioned B-symptoms consisting of fever, weight loss and night sweats can also be a first sign of spreading.
What is the treatment in the final stage?
Once the breast cancer has spread, it is no longer curable. This means that it cannot be completely defeated either by surgery or chemotherapy. In this case we speak of palliative therapy.
The aim of palliative therapy is to delay the growth of the tumour for as long as possible, to alleviate the accompanying symptoms and to give the patient as long and as pleasant a life as possible. The growth of the cancer is usually limited by one or more chemotherapies. For this purpose, many patients are implanted with a so-called port through which the chemo can be administered.
Unfortunately, chemotherapy is associated with many side effects such as hair loss, nausea and weakness, but it is possible to relieve some of these symptoms. Another important pillar of palliative therapy is to alleviate symptoms that occur. Thus, even severe pain can be reduced with intensified pain therapy.
In the case of bone infestation, for example, radiation therapy can also help. Thus, palliative therapy must be adapted to the individual patient. Finally, the psychological care of the patients and their relatives is essential so that the disease can be understood and processed.
- Chances of recovery from breast cancer
- Port implantation
End-stage breast cancer can cause pain for many patients. The degree of pain varies greatly, depending on subjective perception and also on the location of the metastasis. A common problem is bone pain, which can occur if it spreads to the skeleton.
Radiation of the affected region usually helps here. Pain therapy is an important factor in palliative therapy and should be carried out by expert doctors such as pain specialists. Opiates, for example, can provide relief without reducing the quality of life.
