Health

Support for a Loved One With Metastatic Breast Cancer

Annie Bond, 37, was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in August 2015. Shortly after sharing her diagnosis, some of her friends sent miracle cures and wigs in the mail.

“That was weird because I didn’t even know if I was going to lose my hair,” Bond says.

Bond has lived with metastatic breast cancer for over a decade and has lost friends who were not comfortable with the way her life has changed.

“The best thing anyone ever did was just stick around and stay open-minded. Just remember everything that’s true about your friend or your loved one is still true after they’re diagnosed,” she says.

When someone you love is diagnosed with metastatic or stage 4 breast cancer, you may struggle to find the right words or wonder what kind of support will actually help.

A stage 4 diagnosis will drastically change your loved one’s life. Before you try to help, remember that they are still a full, complete person, not just a cancer patient. Continuing to show up can make a meaningful difference as they navigate their life with metastatic disease. Focus on what you can do to help, rather than retreating from the relationship out of fear.

Do: Respect Boundaries

Every person with metastatic breast cancer is different; some people want to share updates, while others prefer to keep their journeys private.

Frances Malinis, 42, who was diagnosed with triple-negative metastatic breast cancer, says she was very selective about who to share information with initially. She knew some people would not handle it well, and others would try to make themselves part of the “drama.”

“Don’t try to get information out of [your loved one] that they’re not already wanting to give. Because what are your intentions? Are you just looking for entertainment?” Malinis says.

Try not to get offended if your loved one seems distant because they may not have the energy or emotional bandwidth to respond to every message you send.

“One of the main things families can do is to be incredibly patient and understanding with the level of anxiety and fear that patients live with,” says Ian Sadler, PhD, an assistant professor of medical psychology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Do: Try to Educate Yourself About Breast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer means the cancer has spread to the bones, lungs, liver, or other parts of the body. While it is not yet curable, it is manageable for many people.

“Modern developments in cancer treatment have turned metastatic breast cancer into a chronic disease for many patients,” says Swati Sikaria, MD, an oncologist at a Cedars-Sinai affiliate in Torrance, CA.

Prognosis varies person to person, but new treatments have significantly extended survival rates and quality of life for many people with metastatic breast cancer.

Malinis says some friends would ask how much time she had left, and others would send messages that felt like a eulogy. “I get that they wanted to express their care and love for me, but don’t write me off yet,” she says.

Do: Provide Practical Support

People living with metastatic breast cancer have to fit frequent healthcare appointments into their schedules. Sometimes, it’s best to offer to help with specific chores or errands rather than saying, “Reach out if you need anything.”

“As a patient, I don’t really know what I could ask for from people,” Malinis says.

Some useful things to suggest might be rides to and from the doctor’s office, pet or babysitting, house cleaning, meal prepping or grabbing groceries or other household items while running your errands.

Malinis says sending flowers, comfort food, or food delivery gift cards also shows you are thinking of your loved one. If you want to drop gifts off, leave them on the doorstop. Don’t expect to socialize if your loved one does not feel ready to welcome guests.

Do: Honor Your Loved One’s Independence

If your friend or family member asks you to join them at a doctor’s appointment, show up in a way that honors their independence.

“The support of family and friends is pivotal in the life of someone with metastatic breast cancer, but it’s important to come in with the goal of supporting that individual and not trying to assume control or take over the situation,” Sikaria says.

If you want to support your loved one, Sikaria says you can:

Help them write down their questions prior to the appointment.
Talk to them before the appointment to learn if they even want to ask the oncologist about their prognosis.
Provide an extra set of ears and take notes during the appointment.
Trust that the oncologist is developing the best care plan for the patient, rather than offering your own ideas on supplements or treatments.

Don’t: Offer Diet Advice

You may be inclined to investigate whether diet or other lifestyle factors contributed to your loved one’s diagnosis, but this is not helpful.

Breast cancer development is complex, and as many as 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary. Age, being born female, dense breast tissue, and genetic factors all increase risk. While certain lifestyle factors also contribute to breast cancer risk, having a poor diet does not automatically mean someone will develop cancer.

“All of us will blame ourselves first, so please do not do anything to help us blame ourselves,” Bond says.

Don’t: Pretend Like They Don’t Have Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer is a permanent part of your loved one’s life. You will have to balance acknowledging their disease while also respecting their boundaries.

“We didn’t ask to have this disease,” Bond says. “It doesn’t mean that we did something wrong, but the truth is the truth, which is that we have this disease forever.”

Even if your loved one is in remission or has no evidence of disease, like Bond, cancer still touches every aspect of their life.

“I just wish that people would stop expecting us to forget about the cancer and be done with it when we’re metastatic,” Bond says. “Sorry, we don’t get that option.”

PEOPLE

Health

Novartis: Rare muscle disease drug shows early promise

Novartis (NOVN.S), opens new tab said on Thursday an experimental drug, which it acquired as part of its $12 billion takeover of ‌Avidity, showed promise in an early-to-mid-stage study in patients with a type of genetic muscle disorder characterized by slowly progressive muscle weakness.

The Swiss ⁠drugmaker said the drug, known as del-brax, lowered two blood markers linked to the disease and showed reduced signs of muscle damage in patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.
Novartis said the drug shows potential to become the first disease-modifying ‌treatment ⁠for FSHD, which can cause weakness in the face, shoulders, arms and other muscles.
The company estimates it affects about 45,000 to ⁠87,000 people in the U.S. and EU.
The drug’s safety profile was consistent with previous ⁠results, the company said.
Novartis plans to discuss the data with health regulators ⁠around the world, while a late-stage study of the drug is currently enrolling patients.

The Thomson Reuters

Health

Obesity drug shows promise in reducing belly and liver fat

Boehringer Ingelheim said on Sunday its experimental obesity drug cut visceral and liver fat while minimizing loss of lean mass in ‌a late-stage study, data showed, bolstering its case for benefits beyond weight loss as competition in obesity drugs intensifies.

The drug, survodutide, was licensed from Denmark’s Zealand Pharma (ZELA.CO), opens new tab. An injectable that mimics the proteins GLP-1 and glucagon to create a feeling of fullness, its weight-loss trial results were announced in April, showing patients lost an average of 16.6% over 76 weeks.

Analysis of a group of patients who had MRI measurements at the start and end of a 76-week trial showed that survodutide reduced harmful ⁠abdominal fat by up to 34% and liver fat by up to 63.1% from the baseline, Boehringer said.

Analysts have said the weight-loss numbers were broadly comparable to existing GLP-1 injections from Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab and Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab and below newer rivals in development, and that the company needed to differentiate the drug’s benefits.

Lean mass accounted for no more than 10.8% of the change in body composition at the highest dose of 6 milligrams, suggesting the weight loss was driven mainly by fat reduction.

The drug’s effect on liver-fat reduction and preservation of lean mass are central to whether it will be able to stand out commercially, alongside tolerability and how long patients stay on the drug. Detailed data from the study could help Boehringer make a ‌stronger case ⁠that survodutide should be judged not only by pounds lost but by where weight is lost.

“We believe survodutide will become an important new option at the intersection of obesity and liver disease, two conditions that are deeply connected but rarely addressed together,” said Boehringer executive Shashank Deshpande, who leads the company’s human medicines business.

Boehringer acquired the rights in 2011 to solely develop and commercialise survodutide from Zealand, which is ⁠entitled to royalty payments on global revenue.

PATIENTS WITH LIVER DISEASE BENEFIT

In a separate late-stage study of overweight or obese patients with a fatty liver disease called MASLD, survodutide met both its main goals.

After 48 weeks, up to 84.2% of patients on the drug showed ⁠a liver fat reduction of at least 30%, compared with 24.3% for those on placebo. Patients on survodutide also lost up to 12.2% of their body weight, versus 1% for placebo.

In 61% of the patients the drug helped achieve liver fat ⁠normalization, or a liver fat content below 5%, compared with 5.7% on placebo.

U.S. biotech Altimmune (ALT.O), opens new tab is also developing a drug that targets both the appetite-suppressing gut hormone, GLP-1, and glucagon.

Survodutide is also being tested in other late-stage studies, including for patients with fatty liver disease and fibrosis.

REUTERS

Health

Millions with breast cancer could safely skip chemotherapy

Millions of people with breast cancer could safely avoid chemotherapy as scientists have developed a DNA test that can distinguish between patients who are likely to benefit from the treatment and those who are not, according to trial results.

The international study found that more than two-thirds of its participants could be spared the side of effects of chemotherapy and treated with hormone therapy alone.

Chemotherapy can cause fatigue, nausea, hair loss, a weakened immune system and fertility issues.

The study, led by University College London (UCL), involved more than 4,000 newly diagnosed patients over the age of 40 in the UK, Norway, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand.

Scientists used a gene test called Prosigna to measure the activity of 50 genes involved in breast cancer growth and calculate a patient’s risk of the disease returning.

Those who received a low score – two-thirds of the group – were not treated through chemotherapy. The five-year survival rate of their group was 93.7%, compared with a 94.9% rate among patients who received chemotherapy as part of their care.

The primary treatment for breast cancer is usually surgery to remove tumours. Chemotherapy is often recommended afterwards to diminish the risk of return.

It is also regularly offered to people with early-stage breast cancer that has spread to the nearby lymph nodes.

Clinicians are concerned the treatment provides little benefit to those with the most common type of breast cancer, UCL said.

The university said more than 5,000 NHS patients a year could avoid chemotherapy as a result of the trial.

Karen Bonham, from Cardiff, took part in the trial and said the results are an “immense relief” and feel “like Christmas”.

The 64-year-old avoided chemotherapy thanks to the Prosigna test and has instead received radiotherapy and hormone therapy over eight years.

“Cancer diagnosis and treatment can be shocking,” she said.

“It certainly propels you into a world of uncertainty. Life priorities realign – you simply want to survive.”

The findings of the study will be presented at the world’s largest cancer conference, the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting, in Chicago, United States, on Saturday.

Professor David Miles, a leading cancer specialist, described the findings as “practice-changing”.

“We can now confidently predict many patients will get no benefit at all, and therefore there’s no need for them to have the chemotherapy,” he told BBC’s Newshour.

He added that the test would allow doctors to “confidently define a large population of women who simply aren’t going to benefit and don’t need to go through all that unpleasantness for no benefit at all.”

“We used to give chemotherapy to 100 women to benefit 10, knowing that 90 didn’t need it,” he said.

Tanya Hutson, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and had chemotherapy as part of her treatment, called the new DNA test “absolutely amazing”.

“It just proves what happens when money is put into research,” she said, adding that chemotherapy had been “brutal”.

“For all these people out there who don’t need it but are still getting it – it’s an absolute game changer.”

It is not known whether the findings apply to people under the age of 40, with a result still several years away, according to UCL.

BBC