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For many women, metastatic breast cancer is a chronic disease that can be managed with long-term treatment. MyBCTeam member Nina spoke with us about the twists and turns of her treatment journey.

Nina has been married to her husband, Stan, for 26 years. Her son, Matthew, is 23 and recently graduated from college. Her daughter, Sabrina, is 19 and currently studying abroad in Japan. She also has a fur baby, a Dandie Dinmont terrier named Emmitt.

Finding Treatment That Works

New treatment options are extending life for people with metastatic breast cancer. If one type of treatment doesn’t work well for you, or stops working after a while, there are other treatments to try. Like many women, Nina had to try several types of treatment to find the ones that would help slow the growth of her breast cancer.

“I originally started with oral treatments in 2020,” she said. “The oral treatments weren’t working, and I started my chemo infusions. But then after three rounds of that chemo, I had a PET scan, and it wasn’t working, so I switched. So far I’ve been on five oral chemotherapy treatments.”

“I like the treatment that I’m on,” she added. “The current chemo treatment I’m on right now, the actual infusion is only five minutes.”

Dealing With Disappointment and Frustration

The treatment journey for metastatic breast cancer can bring emotional hardship as well as physical side effects.

Nina said, “What I found hard for me was every time I had to switch a treatment, you feel like that treatment failed. I have to move on to something that I don’t know. Every time I would switch a treatment, that night in the shower, I would cry because I didn’t want to burden my family with it. But it was a way for me to let it out. The next day you move on and move forward. I don’t dwell on it, but I give myself that time to cry.”

Managing Metastases With Radiation

“In March of 2018, I had radiation to my sternum, and then in May of 2018 and June of 2019, I had radiation to my liver,” Nina said. “In August of 2020, I had radiation to my left clavicle. And then in February of 2022, I had radiation to my spine.”

Apart from chemo and medication regimens to slow the growth of tumors, radiation can help shrink tumors and relieve pain with metastatic breast cancer.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyBCTeam is the social network for people with breast cancer and their loved ones. On MyBCTeam, more than 69,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with breast cancer.

Have you tried different treatments for metastatic breast cancer? How did you deal with your feelings when it became clear it was time to switch? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.

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