Slowing Breast Cancer Progression May Improve Quality of Life, Study Finds

BOSTON (CBS) – Certain patients with advanced breast cancer can extend their quality of life by delaying disease progression.

German scientists found that women who received a drug cocktail to slow down the cancer enjoyed a better quality of life for a longer period of time compared to those who did not receive the treatment.

It's becoming increasingly important to strike a balance between quantity of life and quality of life when it comes to cancer care.  For many patients, the goal is not just to extend life but to make sure that that additional life is worth living.

Sometimes cancer treatments can be so toxic and continuing may not always be desirable, but for these study patients, the combination of drugs not only slowed the disease but helped patients maintain good health-related quality of life.