Breast Cancer Metastasis To Chest Wall Prognosis

Find out about prognosis and life expectancy at this stage.

Breast cancer metastasis to chest wall prognosis.

It is estimated that 155 000 women and men in the united states currently have metastatic breast cancer which means that the cancer has spread to the bones liver lungs brain or other parts of the body. Cancer in nearby breast or lung for example is sometimes more likely to invade the chest wall. Breast cancer cells can form in the region between the outside of the lungs and the chest wall also known as the. You can read the following pages for information on symptoms of breast cancer metastasis and diagnosis.

A pleural tap removes fluid between the lung and chest wall and a spinal tap removes fluid from around the spinal cord. Breast cancer is staged from 0 to 4. A tap removal of fluid from the area with symptoms to check for cancer cells. When cancer recurs in the chest wall it may be classed as a locoregional recurrence or it may be linked to distant metastasis.

Thus resection of full thickness chest wall recurrences of breast cancer can clearly provide a survival benefit with acceptable morbidity and mortality. If the cancer has spread to bones symptoms may include pain fractures or decreased alertness due to high calcium levels. Symptoms of metastatic breast cancer in the lungs include. If a chest wall recurrence is localized it is referred to as a non metastatic breast cancer recurrence.

If the breast or chest wall is affected symptoms may include pain nipple discharge or a lump or thickening in the breast or underarm. Metastatic or stage 4 breast cancer means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. The stage reflects tumor size lymph node involvement and how far cancer may have spread. Other things such as hormone receptor status and tumor grade are.

A chest wall recurrence may involve skin muscle and fascia beneath the site of the original breast tumor as well as lymph nodes. Approximately 22 of those diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer survive up to five years but the average survival rate is only three years. During surgery to remove an original diagnosis of breast cancer lumpectomy or mastectomy the surgeon removes all the cancer that can be seen and felt. Cancer of the chest wall may arise from a primary malignant tumor meaning one that forms in the chest wall area itself or from a metastatic malignant tumor that started in another area and then spread to the chest.

The symptoms of metastatic breast cancer may vary depending on where in the body the cancer has spread.