Q: My mother had a painless lump. Suddenly she got back pain and was in hospital for almost 2 months. The doctors were observing her and found out that she was suffering from breast cancer. After realising that it was breast cancer, they gave her chemotherapy and all the reports now tell that we cannot do surgery because it has spread to her bones. Can you suggest me a line of treatment, which will help her survive and where can it be done? We don't know anything what has to be done. The doctors say that usually cancers attack the brain or blood or liver but in my mothers case it has spread to her bone.

A:Your mother has breast cancer that has spread to bones. You have written that she was given chemotherapy and it has spread further. There are several options: 1. Change chemotherapy protocol. 2. Adopt hormonal therapy if patient has ER and PR positive tumour. 3. Give local radiotherapy to affected bone. The final decision could be taken based on patient condition and after seeing patient reports.