Stage 4 breast cancer refers to advanced breast cancer that has spread throughout the body, or metastasized. Metastatic breast cancer patients have growing tumors in numerous tissues, such as the lungs, liver, bones and brain. Stage 4 breast cancer is often treated with systemic chemotherapy--the use of toxic drugs that circulate throughout the body and attack cancer cells in many organs simultaneously. A number of chemotherapy drugs have been approved for use in Stage 4 breast cancer patients.
Abraxane
Abraxane was developed by Abraxis Bioscience. It contains a drug called paclitaxel suspended in a substance called albumin, a protein that helps the drug circulate effectively throughout the body. The albumin suspension leads to fewer side effects than palitaxel-based drugs contained in other suspensions, reports the therapeutic's website. Abraxane works by inhibiting important cellular structures involved in cell division, so the cells exposed to the drug cannot divide.
Breast cancer patients taking Abraxane may experience a number of side effects, according to the therapeutic's website. Patients may experience hair loss or alopecia, fatigue, nausea, mouth sores and an increased risk of infection.
Taxotere
Taxotere was developed by sanofi-aventis. It can also be used to treat other forms of metastatic cancer. Taxotere belongs to a class of chemotherapy drugs called taxanes. It works by interfering with the cell's structure, ultimately preventing cell division. Cells contain structural proteins that support and give shape to the cell, called the cytoskeleton. During cell division, the cytoskeleton re-arranges itself to allow one cell to split into two. According to the website, Taxotere attacks the cytoskeleton to prevent cell division, slowing or stopping cancer growth.
Patients taking Taxotere may experience many side effects, including hair loss, muscle and bone pain and nausea. Patients may also experience adverse reactions to Taxotere as a result of allergic reactions to the drug.
Doxorubicin
Doxorubicin belongs to a class of drugs called anthracycline antiobiotics, which work by interfering with normal DNA processing in cells, reports ChemoCare. Cells exposed to doxorubicin can't use their DNA properly, so they are prevented from making the proteins required to support cell survival and growth. In the presence of the drug, the cells can't make the factors needed to survive, so the cancer cell dies.
Stage 4 breast cancer patients taking doxorubicin may experience many side effects, according to ChemoCare: nausea and vomiting, hair loss, mouth sores and vulnerability to infection due to low white blood cell counts.
