What is oligometastatic breast cancer and how do you treat it?
If you’ve been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, you may have encountered the term “oligometastatic disease.” This relatively new concept injects fresh optimism into the field of cancer treatment, offering hope for long-term disease control or even, according to some researchers, a potential cure in certain cases.
Oligometastatic breast cancer refers to a state where the cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes but only to a limited number of sites in the body—typically 1-5 metastatic lesions. This condition represents a middle ground between localized and widely metastatic cancer. Researchers are optimistic that patients in this category may benefit from more aggressive, potentially curative approaches.
How is oligometastatic breast cancer treated?
Seema A. Khan, MD, MPH, Professor of Breast Cancer Surgery at Northwestern Medicine, said in an interview with the ASCO Post that “Clinical data suggest that patients with oligometastases are potentially curable,” but questions remain about considering surgical resection, radiation, or other means of ablation outside of a clinical trial.
The idea behind treating oligometastatic disease is to target these limited metastases with precise local therapies alongside systemic treatments, aiming for long-term disease control or even a cure in some cases. One of the main treatment approaches for oligometastatic breast cancer is stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR), also known as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). This technique delivers high doses of radiation to metastatic lesions with pinpoint accuracy, potentially eliminating them while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
“SABR offers a noninvasive way to treat oligometastases with high precision. It gives some patients with oligometastatic cancer a better chance of overall survival, progression-free survival, and better local control of their disease. But predicting who will benefit most is difficult”, according to Aaron C. Spalding, M.D., Ph.D., a radiation oncologist with Norton Cancer Institute.
Can oligometastatic breast cancer be cured?
While the concept of oligometastatic disease is compelling, it’s important to understand that research is still ongoing. Several clinical trials are currently underway to further investigate the potential of treating oligometastatic breast cancer. These studies aim to refine patient selection criteria and determine the most effective treatment approaches.
It’s too early to say definitively that oligometastatic breast cancer can be cured, but the emerging evidence is encouraging. This new paradigm offers hope and opens up possibilities for more personalized and potentially curative approaches for some patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Remember, every patient’s situation is unique. If you’ve been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, talk to your oncologist about whether you might be a candidate for oligometastatic-directed therapies and what clinical trials may be available to you. The field of cancer treatment is constantly evolving, and the concept of oligometastatic disease represents an exciting frontier in breast cancer care. As research progresses, it may reshape our understanding of metastatic breast cancer and offer new paths forward for patients and their loved ones.
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