Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer: 5 Things to Know
Patients with MBC and their families have complex needs that should be addressed to minimize severe distress and deterioration in quality of life.
As a result of more effective and varied treatments, patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are living longer, particularly those with the HER2-positive subtype. With this expanding longevity, clinicians are increasingly challenged in managing quality of life and survivorship issues, including psychosocial matters, in this patient population. Patients with MBC and their families have complex needs that should be addressed to minimize severe distress and deterioration in quality of life. Optimizing the quality of life and well-being of patients requires the full engagement of an interdisciplinary approach to palliative and supportive care, with an emphasis on the assessment of current and anticipated needs. Here are five things to know about living with MBC.