| America received a shocking piece of news in March | | | | breast cancer cells, no matter where they are found |
| 2007. John Edward's wife, Elizabeth, had been | | | | in the body. |
| diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. She spoke | | | | Treatment is palliative, improving quality of life, |
| calmly, with inner strength, about how she had asked | | | | relieving symptoms and aimed at extending a |
| her husband to continue his presidential campaign, and | | | | woman's lifetime. But there are new treatments |
| how she wanted to campaign by his side. She did not | | | | coming that are giving more hope to those patients |
| want to be best known by her illness; she wanted, in | | | | with this cancer. Many women with this illness choose |
| fact, needed, to carry on as normally as she could. | | | | to become part of a clinical trial in order to access |
| Her diagnosis gave a face to this illness. Americans | | | | treatments that are not yet approved by the FDA. |
| began to discuss Elizabeth and John Edward's | | | | If it is "estrogen-receptive," hormonal therapies such |
| decisions. Globally, people talked about how deeply | | | | as the drug Herceptin can be lifesaving. |
| cancer affects families. Breast cancer is something | | | | Chemotherapy is indicated in bone, lung and liver |
| that affects many, and almost everyone has known | | | | metastases. For bone metastases, radiation and the |
| someone who has died from it. Her announcement | | | | drug bisphosphonate are often used. For liver and |
| gave a face to it and it made people think. It brought | | | | lung metastases, occasionally surgery is used. For |
| the topic out in the open. | | | | cancer that has spread to the brain, radiation and |
| What is metastatic breast cancer? Also called Stage | | | | surgery are used. |
| IV breast cancer, it is cancer that has spread from | | | | Palliative care to relieve symptoms from both the |
| the original (primary) site to other organs or tissues in | | | | cancer and treatment involves drug and non-drug |
| the body, such as bone, liver, lungs or brain. | | | | treatments such as relaxation therapy, acupuncture, |
| Sometimes, like Mrs. Edwards, it is a recurrence of | | | | and dietary management. Besides physical symptoms, |
| the original cancer. However, in one out of ten | | | | palliative care for patients who are being treated or |
| diagnosed, the first diagnosis that a woman hears is | | | | who cannot be cured focuses on spiritual and |
| metastatic breast cancer. | | | | emotional needs, as well as physical needs. |
| In it, cells break away from the breast, circulating | | | | As far as anyone knows today, metastatic cancer |
| through the blood and lymphatic system. The body's | | | | can't be cured. Sometimes, treatments can actually |
| immune system attacks these circulating cancer cells. | | | | stop the cancer from growing for months or years. |
| Most do not survive, but if the immune system | | | | When Elizabeth Edwards asserted that she thought |
| malfunctions or is weak, or for another, unknown | | | | her own might be treatable, people listened. She |
| reason, will usually spread to the bone, then lung and | | | | gave a face to this illness - a loving, brave, wise, face |
| liver next. The cells that have metastasized are still | | | | - that no one will forget. |