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