Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Kelly Crump, 44, is living life to the fullest despite living with metastatic breast cancer. The London-based model, who was featured in a 2022 issue of Sports Illustrated exposing her mastectomy scar over her nipple-free breast, recently took to Instagram to flaunt her body in a purple bikini in the Maldives, looking incredible.
- When Crump was 39, she ultimately chose to get screened for cancer when she scratched an itch on her chest and found a lump. She learned in 2019 that her cancer had metastasized, spreading to her neck, lung, armpit, ribs and spine. Fast forward to September 2023, Crump’s cancer was not responding to the 7th chemotherapy drug, but instead of giving up hope, she decided to hike Tour du Mont Blanc and visit Iceland with her husband before starting another drug, Enhertu, which is working well.
- Dr. Kenneth D. Miller, medical oncologist at the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, tells SurvivorNet, “Metastatic breast cancer is a treatable disease. Fortunately, we have so many new treatments for women with recurrent breast cancer and for many women who look at this as a chronic disease that they can live with ‘often for many years.’ Still, this type of breast cancer is incurable and needs dramatically more research and much better options for women.”
- While treatment for metastatic breast cancer is not curative, it can improve your quality of life. You and your doctor will work together to develop a treatment plan that’s right for you.
The London-based Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, who was featured in a 2022 issue of Sports Illustrated exposing her mastectomy scar over her nipple-free breast, often takes to social media to share how she’s living with metastatic breast cancer and recently shared a photo of herself flaunting her body in a purple bikini in the Maldives.
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She explained in a recent Instagram post, “I started Enhertu and the cold cap as I was not sure if I was to loose my hair… but had to remove my extensions and cut my hair. I caught CV for the 2nd time and was hospitalized for 5 days. Then I met up with my sister and best friends in New York 3 weeks after having a wisdom tooth removed in between chemo cycles. I did 5 cycles of Enhertu by the end of 2023 and I was floored, could barely walk my dogs and gained 6kgs in the process.
“We then spent the last 2 weeks of the year in the Maldives, which fed my soul. And now I have my scan results back and it is working. I still have active disease and it is considered a ‘partial response’ but it is working which I am grateful for.”
She explained further, “Now think about what the last few months would have been like if I just put it all on ‘hold’?? It would have been way more miserable than it was for one…Two I would look back and think gosh I wasted all that time for ‘nothing.’ So don’t waste your time ok. Time is precious for everyone, not just us cancer patients. You can put it on hold or you can. Just live your life.”
Crump is an inspiration to anyone battling disease as she often takes part in different activities to challenges herself, like charity walks, half-marathons, or climbing a mountain over 4,000meters high in Morocco.
On August 19, 2023, Crump celebrated turning another year older and shared an empowering video to her social media page, writing on Instagram, “I made it to 44 yrs old. I am thankful not embarrassed. I am lucky and don’t feel ‘old.’ Everyday I am here means I am alive and not yet succumbed to the incurable cancer eating away at my body.
“Life currently is really hard but I can still move, walk, and hike thousands of meters up Alpine mountains. Each birthday is a gift not a curse. Every year is a blessing. Stop saying you are ‘old’ and how you dislike it. Don’t be afraid of age. Aging is a gift that some of us won’t get.”
She continued, “Cheers to 44 yrs old. Cheers to still being able to walk 100km with your husband and to be able to experience life. Cheers to another year and the hope that I continue to live on many more. Stop taking life for granted and instead grab it by the horns!”
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Crump also explains in another video shared on her Instagram a reminder that she looks better than she feels as “cancer is an invisible illness.”
She also reminds her followers that she’ll never be done with treatment as her diagnosis is not curable, however, the goal is to make it manage it “as best as possible.”
Crump also recently had vocal cord surgery after dealing with “vocal cord paralysis.” She hopes the surgery will help her “communication and confidence.”
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In October, Crump took to her Instagram to describe what “happiness” means to her and urged others to make the best out of the time they have, writing, “So what are you going to decide? And even then it is not always “easy” to be happy in the circumstances. Happiness though does not mean that you still cannot be frustrated, angry, sad etc. It just means you take those moments, those glimpses of time and make the best of them.
“You choose to be happy with a frozen cap on your head for hours whilst trying to save what is already left of your hair. It means you smile and laugh with the nurses who are taking care of you. You take the difficulties and day-to-day struggle with as much of a smile, laugh and joke as you can. Yes still cry! Have your sad moments etc etc etc. this is not toxic positivity. This is happiness which also requires so many other emotions to support it.
She concluded, “But at the end of the day.. You decide. It is up to you and only you. Am I happy? Yes for a good part of my days I am. On the days I am not I do try to still find those moments to smile but that is just life. Just live your life.”
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Understanding Stage 4 (Metastatic) Breast Cancer
Stage 4, or metastatic breast cancer, means that the cancer has spread to distant areas of the body. Even though there is currently no cure for metastatic breast cancer, doctors have many options to treat this stage advanced stage of breast cancer. Kelly Crump is a perfect example as to how people can live happily despite battling the disease.
Hormone therapy, chemotherapy and targeted drugs are all options to talk to her doctor about, depending on your individual needs. Sometimes surgery and/or radiation is considered as part of the treatment, but mainly it is important to focus on improving your quality of life.
Expert Metastatic Breast Cancer Information
- Are You A Metastatic Breast Cancer Patient Curious About The Drug Enhertu? Here’s What You Need To Know
- Advances in Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatments Over the Last Year Offer New Hope for Those Fighting
- CD4/CD6 Inhibitors For Metastatic Breast Cancer — What Are The Side Effects?
- How To Treat Metastatic Breast Cancer: The Drug Trodelvy Shows A Promising Boost In Survival Rates
- Chemo Plus Immunotherapy for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- Metastatic Breast Cancer: Biomarkers and Mutations That Matter
The treatment plan for metastatic breast cancer patients depends on the specific needs of the woman, whether they need an aggressive chemotherapy or depending on the doctor’s assessment, they may benefit from another medication.
For hormone receptive positive cancer breast cancer patients, doctors try to see how long they can keep patients on oral therapies. Very often, newly diagnosed metastatic hormone receptive-positive breast cancers (where cells have either estrogen (ER) or progesterone (PR) receptors or both) respond best with different hormonal medications, and sometimes for many many years.
Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer
Dr. Erica Mayer, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, says clinical trials have shown that hormone medicines are more effective when paired with targeted therapies. At some point, chemotherapy will be introduced. And according to Dr. Mayer, it’s delivered at a dose and schedule that’s as well-tolerated as possible.
“We are so lucky in breast cancer that we have so many effective and well-tolerated treatments,” Dr. Mayer tells SurvivorNet. I’m so gratified to see that patients are doing better and living longer today with metastatic breast cancer than they have ever done before.”
Bottom line, there are more and more options becoming available for patients to manage symptoms of advanced stage disease, and it’s best to talk about specific treatment plans and what is best for you with your own doctor.
Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer
With metastatic breast cancer, the primary goal of treatment is to control its spread. SurvivorNet offers information about what those options are from targeted therapies to chemotherapy and when these various treatment options can be used. We also provide information on new, exciting research that is currently being tested in clinical trials and information about when recently approved drugs, like immunotherapies, can be used.
For help finding a clinical trial that may be right for you or a loved one, try our easy-to-use Clinical Trial Finder.
While there have been many developments in recent years when it comes to treating late-stage breast cancer, which therapies can be used will depend on the characteristics of the patient’s cancer.
What are the Treatment Options for Late-Stage Breast Cancer?
Late-stage breast cancer is not one disease, but many different diseases so the options available to different patients vary a great deal. Which treatment doctors recommend will depend on several factors like a woman’s overall health, genetics, the biology of the tumor, and more.
Treatment for late-stage breast cancer can include a combination of:
Chemotherapy: Oral or IV medications that are toxic to tumor cells
Hormonal therapies: Drugs that lower estrogen levels or block estrogen receptors from allowing the cancer cells to grow
Targeted therapies: Drugs that target your tumor’s specific gene mutations
Immunotherapy: Medications that stimulate your immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells
Radiation: The use of high-energy rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors
Surgery: To remove a cancerous tumor or lymph nodes (uncommon with stage IV; more common in stages I, II, and III)
Clinical trials: Studies of new medications, treatments, and other therapies offer hope for better outcomes
Treating Her2-positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Can Metastatic Breast Cancer be Prevented?
While there’s no sure way to prevent metastatic breast cancer, researchers are working diligently to find ways you can prevent the first (or primary) breast cancer from returning or metastasizing.
Dr. Kenneth D. Miller, medical oncologist at the Alvin & Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, recommended, in an earlier interview with SurvivorNet, making lifestyle adjustments to reduce risk factors and improve cancer survivorship, including:
- Eat a low-fat diet: Women who eat a low-fat diet tend to have lower levels of estrogen in their blood, which could help reduce risk.
- Choose a colorful diet: Women who eat a varied diet of fruits and vegetables may have a lower risk of developing breast cancer.
- Exercise for two or more hours weekly: Studies suggest that physical activity can lower breast cancer recurrence.
- Maintain a healthy body weight: Women who are overweight after treatment for breast cancer may be at higher risk of recurrence
- Limit alcohol intake: Heavy alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of recurrence.
Maintaining Quality of Life With Metastatic Breast Cancer
“Metastatic breast cancer is a treatable disease,” explains Dr. Miller. “Fortunately, we have so many new treatments for women with recurrent breast cancer and for many women who look at this as a chronic disease that they can live with “often for many years.”
While treatment for metastatic breast cancer is not curative, it can improve your quality of life. You and your doctor will work together to develop a treatment plan that’s right for you.
“Quality of life typically involves many things including treating symptoms effectively and modifying lifestyle to allow time for treatment and to accommodate to living with a chronic disease. A positive attitude doesn’t cure cancer but also contributes to living well with cancer. Faith, spirituality, intimate relationships, friends, and families help as well.”
In some cases, you may need more aggressive therapies that can be lifesaving. Finding the right combination of treatments for your breast cancer and your body may take some time. Be patient and work with your doctor to arrive at the right treatment plan.
Remember, when you are fighting metastatic breast cancer, it can be hard to remember the good in life. No matter what treatments you are undergoing, it’s important to maintain a support system around you and an optimistic outlook.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and unable to go on, seek help. And talk to your physician. Your physician can recommend support groups or other professionals that can help make your journey easier.
The Power of Positivity and Good Mental Health
SurvivorNet experts say, in some cases, a positive attitude may improve your prognosis. It’s evident Crump has maintained an optimistic outlook during her cancer journey, even when the disease throws her curveballs, so it certainly seems this outlook amid disease can help.
WATCH: What Kind of Patients Will Maintain a Positive Attitude After a Cancer Diagnosis?
“A positive attitude is really important,” says Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
If you have just been diagnosed with cancer, negative feelings are normal, and remember, men and women react differently. Anger, shame, fear, anxiety. It’s to be expected.
Experienced doctors will tell you that people who find a way to work through their emotions and stay positive do end up doing better.
Dr. Charmain Jackman is a licensed psychologist and founder of InnoPsych. She echoes SurvivorNet experts on the benefits of positive mental health while facing a health diagnosis.
“In the face of a life-threatening diagnosis, fear, hopelessness, and despair can quickly take space in your mind. However, your mindset is a superpower and can be a potent antidote to illness. Practicing gratitude, cultivating joy, and connecting to the community are practical ways to develop a resilient mindset,” Dr. Jackman said.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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