During breast cancer surgery (mastectomy or lumpectomy), some of the lymph nodes in your underarm (called axillary lymph nodes) may be removed. They are checked to see if they contain cancer cells. When axillary lymph nodes...
Read MoreWhat is lymph? Lymph is a milky fluid that contains white blood cells. (White blood cells help fight infections.) Lymph vessels, like blood vessels, run all through the body. They carry lymph, cells and other material. ...
Read MoreWhen life expectancy is 6 months or less, your health care provider may suggest you enroll in a hospice home care program. Members of the hospice team give comprehensive palliative care to you and your family. With your...
Read MoreCare after treatment for the breast cancer ends: At some point you may decide to stop treatments for the cancer. This can happen when treatment stops showing any benefit or when it greatly affects quality of life. Once...
Read MoreIssues for family members and other loved ones: Pain can affect the whole family. It’s upsetting for family and friends to know a loved one is in pain. In some cases, a person living with pain may become irritable and...
Read MoreComplementary and integrative therapies (non-drug therapies) for pain There are many non-drug therapies you may choose to use along with pain medications. These include: Acupuncture, Hot and cold therapy, Guided imagery,...
Read MoreIn rare cases, pain can’t be controlled by the medications already described or their side effects are too severe. In these cases, an implanted catheter can deliver the medications using a small, computerized pump to the...
Read MorePort-a-cath or a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) Medications can be given into the vein through a port-a-cath or a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). These have a portable pump that delivers the...
Read MoreThere are many ways to take opioid and non-opioid pain medications. Most are pills taken by mouth. For people who have trouble swallowing pills, some medications are available in liquid form or a special tablet or strip that...
Read MoreAntidepressants (examples: Amitriptyline (Elavil) Pain relief benefit: Can relieve some neuropathic pain Anticonvulsants (Examples: Gabapentin (Neurontin) Pregabalin (Lyrica) Pain relief benefit: Can relieve some neuropathic...
Read MoreMany drugs work with pain medications to reduce pain related to metastatic breast cancer. They include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, steroids and local anesthetics. These drugs are only available by prescription. Before...
Read MoreHealth care providers are careful to monitor the amount of opioids they prescribe so you don’t take too much. Many providers will fill out a written opioid agreement with you if you are taking opioid medications...
Read MoreSide effects: Regular use of opioids almost always causes side effects, especially constipation. Your health care provider can help you prevent or control side effects so you can continue taking your medication. If you become...
Read MorePotential barriers to pain management with opioids People may worry about taking opioid medications, fearing side effects or addiction. However, when used as prescribed, these drugs can offer a great deal of pain relief and...
Read MoreOpioid drugs include (in order of the most commonly used): Morphine, Oxycodone, Hydromorphone, Fentanyl, Methadone, Oxymorphone, Buprenorphine. Opioids are only available by prescription. Opioids tend to have more side...
Read MoreWhen pain is mild to moderate, the first choice for pain relief is usually a non-opioid drug. Examples of these drugs include ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), naproxen (Aleve or Naprosyn) and acetaminophen (Tylenol). ...
Read MoreRadiation therapy and surgery: Radiation therapy and surgery can be used to ease the pain of bone metastases. Radiation therapy to the bone can relieve pain at the site of the tumor(s) and prevent fractures. Drugs called...
Read MoreIn some people, bisphosphonates and denosumab can cause bone, joint or muscle pain. Any of these side effects should be reported to a health care provider right away. Some people who take bisphosphonates need to increase their...
Read MoreHow are bisphosphonates and denosumab given? Bisphosphonates are given once a month or every 3 months by vein (through an IV). Denosumab is given once a month as an injection (not an IV). Source: Susan G. Komen ...
Read MoreBone-strengthening therapy is a standard part of treatment for bone metastases. The same drugs are also used to treat pain from bone metastases. The 2 types of these drugs are: Bisphosphonates (zoledronic acid (Zometa) or...
Read MoreWhen breast cancer spreads to the bones (bone metastases), it can greatly affect quality of life. This somatic pain often responds to heat, or to mild pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), naproxen (Aleve or...
Read MoreMuch of the pain related to metastatic breast cancer is due to the cancer itself. A tumor can put pressure on nerves or the spinal cord, causing injury and pain. This pain is often described as a sharp, tingling, burning or...
Read MoreHealth care providers may use the terms neuropathic, visceral and somatic to describe different types of pain. Neuropathic is a sharp, tingling, burning or shooting feeling. It is often related to pain caused by pressure on...
Read MoreWhat can be done to relieve my pain? What can we do if the pain medications don’t work? What side effects may occur with the pain medications? What can be done to prevent or manage these side effects? What side effects...
Read MoreWhere is the pain? When did the pain start? How long has the pain lasted? Has the pain changed in any way? Is there anything that makes the pain worse or better? How intense is the pain (mild, moderate, severe, etc. or, on...
Read MoreEveryone’s pain is different. So, it’s important to describe exactly what you’re feeling to your health care provider. This ensures your provider can give you the best treatment for your pain. Certain types...
Read MoreSeeing a palliative care or anesthesia pain specialist You may have a palliative care or anesthesia pain specialist on your treatment team. If not, your oncologist will likely know of a specialist in your area. Be sure to ask...
Read MoreAnesthesia pain experts are anesthesiologists with special training in pain management. They are experts in procedures (such as injections) to relieve pain. Source: Susan G. Komen 2019
Read MorePalliative care and pain specialists (physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses) treat pain from cancer or other causes. They treat people with metastatic breast cancer as well as those with early breast cancer. Palliative...
Read MorePalliative care focuses on relieving or preventing symptoms (like pain) rather than treating disease and should be given throughout treatment for breast cancer. Palliative care is especially important for those living with...
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Can zero-calorie drinks make you gain weight? Maybe you should stop at one can of pop. In a new study, researchers tracked 474 older adults for nearly a decade and found that the waistlines of diet-soda drinkers expanded 178...
French researchers tracked nearly 69,000 adults for five years. Those who reported eating the most organic foods were 76 percent less likely to be diagnosed with lymphoma and 34 percent less likely to be diagnosed with...
During breast cancer surgery (mastectomy or lumpectomy), some of the lymph nodes in your underarm (called axillary lymph nodes) may be removed. They are checked to see if they contain cancer cells. When axillary lymph nodes...
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