Battling Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Emily Brunemann Klueh, an NCAA swimming champion and former member of the U.S. National Team, is battling metastatic breast cancer after noticing something different in one of her breasts. A visit to her doctor let her to get a mammogram and an ultrasound, which later revealed she had invasive ductal carcinoma.
- Metastatic breast cancer, also called “stage four” breast cancer, means that the cancer has spread, or metastasized, beyond the breasts to other parts of the body. While there is technically no cure, many advancements in treatments exist to improve patient outcomes, which is something to be hopeful about.
- For help finding a clinical trial that’s right for you, try our easy-to-use Clinical Trial Finder.
- Klueh is not alone in facing enormous health costs. If you are in a similar situation, like after a cancer diagnosis, know that there are resources to help you pay your bills and ensure you get the care you need. You can negotiate payment plans, seek out government assistance programs, or look to advocacy groups.
- SurvivorNet offers lists of resources available to you for help paying your health bills.
The mom of two, who is married to fellow swimmer Michael Klueh, has since retired from her beloved sport of swimming, but it’s clear she’s ready for another fight—putting all of her energy into fighting this disease.
Read More“At only 38, she would not have normally been referred for a mammogram for another two years. Through these tests the doctors found eight masses in her chest and at least three lymph nodes suspicious of cancer. She then underwent biopsies of one of the masses and one of the lymph nodes which confirmed the devastating news that they were positive for invasive ductal carcinoma.”
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, invasive ductal carcinoma “is cancer (carcinoma) that happens when abnormal cells growing in the lining of the milk ducts change and invade breast tissue beyond the walls of the duct.” Additionally, “Once that happens, the cancer cells can spread. They can break into the lymph nodes or bloodstream, where they can travel to other organs and areas in the body, resulting in metastatic breast cancer.”
The GoFundMe page continues, “Due to the positive findings in the lymph nodes, a PET scan was ordered. The doctors are now concerned the cancer has spread to the lining of her lungs. A biopsy of this area is scheduled for December 6th.
“With this news, the need for support has grown even greater. We are not only providing ways for people to assist with financial needs but also asking for love, thoughts, and prayers as we await the results of this test.”
It adds, “This is where your support is needed. We know this journey will be long. Emily and Michael will face financial burdens. They will experience unexpected medical bills and potential travel and accommodation needs for treatment.
“Emily and Michael Klueh’s husband] feel passionate about keeping Adeline and Hunter’s [their children] lives as normal as possible. Other ways these funds will be utilized would be for groceries, meals, cleaning, and activities for the kids.”
The GoFundMe pages also describes Klueh as having been “a high achieving athlete as an NCAA champion and a world class open water/endurance swimmer.”
“We know she will rise above this but no different than achieving success as an athlete it takes support, as a mother it takes a village, fighting cancer requires love, support, and prayers. She needs us,” the fundraising page reads.
“Since her retirement from sport she has dedicated her life to helping others. Emily is a licensed mental health and sport performance clinician. She has worked tirelessly in becoming licensed in multiple states, to provide care to others. She has traveled the world supporting the best. She now works for USA Swimming as the first clinician hired within a National Governing Body to create a psychological services program.”
Meanwhile, an update from Klueh was shared on her GoFundMe page this week, with her admitting how “amazing” and “thankful” she was from the immense amount of support she’s received since her diagnosis.
She explained, “It is hard to ask for help at times but while I am strong and tough as swimming lots of 10k’s and having two beautiful babies would make a person, this is a battle that I know I need the support in order to fight. You all lifted my spirits, my soul, and remind me of the importance of community, family and friends.
“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart to those who have donated. I am working through thanking each of you personally but that may take a little longer for me to get through everyone. The worries and fears I have had since being diagnosis on what this will look like mentally, emotionally, and financially is easing every day. The confidence that through these funds I will be able to provide normalcy for my family and keep some of the financial burden of this long treatment battle away from them is so relieving.”
Klueh concluded, “I truly and immensely feel the love and feel the strength! While I am scared of this journey, I am ready to fight. I had my chemo port placed last week. Ready for the battle.”
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.
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 Resources On Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Advances in Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatments Over the Last Year Offer New Hope for Those Fighting
- Are You A Metastatic Breast Cancer Patient Curious About The Drug Enhertu? Here’s What You Need To Know
- Chemo Plus Immunotherapy for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- CD4/CD6 Inhibitors For Metastatic Breast Cancer — What Are The Side Effects?
- Do You Have HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer? Here’s A Breakdown Of Some Of Your Treatment Options
- Metastatic Breast Cancer: Biomarkers and Mutations That Matter
- Metastatic Breast Cancer: You Are Not a Statistic
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.
Expert Resources On Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Advances in Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatments Over the Last Year Offer New Hope for Those Fighting
- Are You A Metastatic Breast Cancer Patient Curious About The Drug Enhertu? Here’s What You Need To Know
- Chemo Plus Immunotherapy for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- CD4/CD6 Inhibitors For Metastatic Breast Cancer — What Are The Side Effects?
- Do You Have HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer? Here’s A Breakdown Of Some Of Your Treatment Options
- Metastatic Breast Cancer: Biomarkers and Mutations That Matter
- Metastatic Breast Cancer: You Are Not a Statistic
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.
Meanwhile, studies of new treatment options are called clinical trials, and they are an essential part of medicine for two reasons: Clinical trials help doctors better understand cancer and discover more effective treatment methods—and they also allow patients to try a treatment before it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which can be life-changing.
WATCH: Clinical Trials Help Find New Treatment Options
Dr. Beth Karlan is a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Health. She says the goal with clinical trials is to advance cancer research to a point where the disease becomes akin to diabetes, where it becomes a manageable condition.
“Clinical trials hopefully can benefit you, but is also providing very, very vital information to the whole scientific community about the effectiveness of these treatments,” Dr. Karlan said. “They can be lifesaving. In the last few years, we’ve seen many children and adults who have participated in trials and had miraculous results.”
Financial Resources to Consider
If you’re having difficulty finding resources or answers about how to get help paying for a disease or cancer you are battling, there are a few options you can consider. You can negotiate payment plans, seek out government assistance programs, or look to advocacy groups.
These are a few of the options cancer patients and their loved ones have to get help covering costs associated with treatment (from drug co-pays to travel assistance):
For Help With Treatment Bills
- The Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition can direct patients and their families to available local services.
- Many treatment centers offer extended payment plans and some may offer temporary payment delays, according to the American Cancer Society.
- CancerCare, which connects patients with oncology social workers, may be able to assist with co-pays, transportation, and other costs associated with care.
- The HealthWell Foundation may be able to help uninsured patients pay for treatment.
- The American Cancer Society may be able to link patients and their families up with local resources (they offer a 24/7 helpline).
- The Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) works with patients and their insurance companies to resolve issues and may provide direct financial support to some patients.
- The Patient Access Network Foundation may be able to help with out-of-pocket costs associated with cancer treatment.
How Some Patients May Be Able To Get Help With Medical Bills
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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