Breast cancer is considered metastatic when it has spread to other body parts, such as the liver. Approximately 30 percent of patients diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will progress to metastatic disease. Metastasis from breast cancer occurs in the liver more often than any other organ.
What Is MBC?
MBC is a kind of breast cancer that is diagnosed at a late stage. Metastasis is the spread of breast cancer to other parts of the body, most often the liver, brain, and bones.
It is still considered breast cancer even if MBC has progressed to the liver or elsewhere.
What Happens When Breast Cancer Spreads To The Liver?
Cancer metastasizes when malignant cells spread from the primary tumor to other body parts. Metastasis from breast cancer may occur almost everywhere in the body, although it most often affects:
- lymph nodes
- bones
- lungs
- liver
- brain
There is some evidence to show that a person’s cancer is more likely to spread to the liver due to environmental factors. However, studies have yet to pinpoint the precise mechanisms through which breast cancer travels to the liver.
How Often Does Breast Cancer Metastasize To The Liver, And Why?
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives, according to Metavivor, a nonprofit committed to studying the disease. About one-third of those people will develop metastases.
Men are roughly as likely as women to have breast cancer but far less likely to develop metastases. MBC affects the liver less often than any other organ. The specific mechanism by which breast cancer travels to the liver remains unknown.
According to the prevalent theory, metastasis to the liver occurs when cancer cells and the liver have common characteristics. The seed-and-soil theory describes this relationship.
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What Are The Risk Factors, And Can I Prevent It?
Multiple factors were found in 2019 research to enhance the likelihood of getting liver metastases. For instance:
- age
- menopausal status
- number of lymph node metastases
- tumor size
Patients may have a better prognosis if they undergo screening for liver metastases at an earlier or more frequent stage.
What Are The Symptoms?
Symptoms of breast cancer that have progressed to the liver are uncommon. Liver function tests are the most reliable way for a clinician to