ACTION: If you have early stage breast cancer please participate in a clinical trial to assess biomarkers like CTCs (circulating tumor cells), ctDNA (circulating tumor DNA), other biomarkers, or imaging as a means of identifying recurrences, incl metastatic recurrence, early 10

systemic chemo or targeted therapies, people may achieve a long lasting response; I don't like to use the "cure" word because MBC is a sneaky bitch, but maybe, someday, we will be able to use it in this setting. 9/

More and more evidence suggests that with oligometastatic disease (usually defined as less than 5 mets) and aggressive therapy, including surgically removing or ablating (zapping with radiation, freezing with cryotherapy, or cooking with radio waves) the mets PLUS ....8/

as we know that cancer cells can spread from original tumor, find a cozy spot to take a nap, and remain dormant for years; I have several friends who had aggressive treatment for DCIS only to be diagnosed with MBC years and years later. 4/