Understanding Breast Cancer : Prognosis and Life Expectancy

Understanding Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells which is the result of mutations in genes which are responsible to regulate the growth of cells and keep them healthy. In a healthy body, the cells will replace themselves in orderly fashion and new ones will take over as old one dies. However, when the mutations occur, the changed cells will gain the ability to keep dividing without control or order and produces more similar cells and forms a tumor.

In case of breast cancer, the cancerous cells will gradually invade the nearby healthy breast tissue and make their way into the underarm lymph nodes i.e. the small organs which filter out the foreign substances in the body. If the cancer reach the lymph nodes then it has a pathway into other parts of the body. On diagnosis, the patient will be told at which stage of breast cancer they are in which indicates how far the cancer has spread beyond the original tumor.

What are the Prognosis?

The metastatic breast cancer is not the same for every person having it. As per the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), the symptoms at stage 4 will depend on the degress to which the cancer has spread in the body. Although metastatic breast cancer has no cure but it can be treated. Getting proper treatment will increase both your longevity and quality of life.

Stages and Survival rates

The stages of breast cancer are:

1)     Ductal carcinoma in situ

a.       Stage 0

2)     Early Breast Cancer

a.       Stage Ia

b.      Stage Ib

c.       Stage IIa

3)     Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

a.       Stage IIb

b.      Stage IIIa

c.       Stage IIIb

d.      Stage IIIc

4)     Metastatic Breast Cancer

a.       Stage IV

The survival rates will vary as per the stage of breast cancer. The non-invasive or stage 0 and early stage invasive breast cancers i.e. stages I and II have a better prognosis than the later stages of cancers i.e. stages III and IV. Cancer which has not spread beyond the breast has a better prognosis than cancer which has spread to the lymph nodes. The poorest prognosis is for stage IV or metastatic breast cancer which has spread beyond the lymph nodes to the other parts of the body.

Read more about Breast Cancer Surgery and Treatment in India

Available Treatment Options

In the recent years, there has been an explosion of life saving treatment options for breast cancer bringing new hope. Today, there are overwhelming options for treating the breast cancer which will fight the complex mix of cells in each individual cancer. Your doctor will determine the breast cancer treatment options based on the type of breast cancer, the stage, whether the cancer cells are sensitive to the hormones, your overall health and your own preferences.

The standard breast cancer treatment options used in India are:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy followed by surgery
• Targeted therapy
• Hormone therapy
• Chemotherapy

Life Expectancy

The life expectancy with metastatic breast cancer will be affected by the following factors:

• Your general health
• You age
• The types of tissue which affect the cancer
• The hormone receptors on cells with cancer
• Your attitude and outlook

General Statistics

There are general facts about breast cancer prognosis. As per the University of Maryland Medical Center, breast cancer causes more deaths in women than any other type of cancer. Women in higher economic groups have higher survival rates than in lower groups. Most women with breast cancer will now live longer than they used to. Over the last decade, the number of deaths from breast cancer has dropped substantially.

What about Recurrence?

During the recent years, women under 50 years have seen a particularly strong decline in death rates due to breast cancer. These are due to improved screening and treatment for the disease. Despite all these, breast cancer survivors should keep in mind the possibility of recurrence. As per UMMC, if the breast cancer is going to recur, then most probably it will do so within five years of receiving the breast cancer treatment in India.

Contact Forerunners Healthcare Consultants to book your appointment for low cost breast cancer treatments and surgery in India.