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Article: Metastatic disease is relatively common in cases of breast cancer.(Metastatic breast cancer)(Report)
- Article from:
- CME: Your SA Journal of CPD
- Article date:
- October 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 South African Medical Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Approximately 40% of all patients with breast cancer will relapse, which represents a failure of adjuvant therapy to control micrometastatic disease. Even though most patients will have a relapse within the first 5 years after treatment, they can relapse indefinitely; therefore breast cancer patients should be followed up for life.
Metastatic disease is incurable, but because of improved therapy survival of patients has been prolonged. The overall median time of survival is 2 years from initial diagnosis of metastases, but in some circumstances patients may live much longer.
The following factors affect long-term survival of patients with metastatic ...