Secondary Breast Cancer Prognosis

My mother is 55 and 17 years had breast cancer there. She has just been diagnosed with secondary bone cancer, is something "positive" (ER or PR?) His salary will be a pill every day a monthly IV and, possibly, radiation management pain.
There is "widespread" - his skull, while his spine and tailbone, ribs, arms, legs, practically everywhere, but the hands and feet.
6 years ago my father died of pancreatic cancer was diagnosed in January and died on May 5 We knew nothing about pancreatic cancer and were taken completely by surprise. I fear that the same will happen with my mother.
The CNO said only that "50% of people with secondary bone cancer do not live more than 4 years"
I do not know what to do with this, four years from when? diagnosis or when the cancer has begun to spread? Its spread is so wide that it means to her prognosis?
She has lost about 40 pounds and looks like a skeleton, it still works. I want her to leave but is it too early or should I encourage him to stop working and enjoy life while she still can?

Anyone with knowledge of information to give me? I realize no one knows for sure, but certainly there is a basic idea out there about his prognosis.

Please give me the right do not try to be a politician in this regard. I wish someone looks me in the eye and said it was time to say goodbye to my father I do not want the same thing happening again, but I do not want to respond.

Thank you

I know that this time, a painful for you, but your mother's doctor did exactly what the best treatment for someone in his situation.

The ER / PR thing is synonymous with the estrogen receptor and progesterone, we found these hormones can stimulate cell proliferation in the breast and can lead to breast cancer. We will now check all breast cancers to see if the tumor responds to these hormones and, apparently, your mother does. The pill your mother has been given to prevent cancer is to penetrate the hormone (s) they love making them less able to grow and multiply. This treatment is much more focused to do the chemo is bad and without the side affects. Chemo is reserved for patients with life-threatening food. As painful as they are put bones are not fatal.

The monthly IV is a drug designed to reduce pain and fractures of bones due to Put on the need for radiation. Radiation is not really an option for treating bone meals as common as your mothers, but can be used in areas most painful later if necessary. If you wish to see these drugs Aredia and Zometa to them.

Regarding the matter of 4 years. This is from the time the food bones were discovered and it became a stage four breast cancer. At this point, his doctor does what he can to buy more time and hopes to make that time as possible without pain. From what I know and he knows better than me, his estimate was accurate, but can change for the better depending on how it responds to treatment.

My personal opinion on its further work is, I think you should take your cues from your mother. Everyone has their own way of dealing with this situation and it would be normal for her to go through several stages. It will probably start to feel a lot better before, she feels sick again for leaving a "normal" life while everything in. Well just let him know that you love and you want it to be anything whether that makes her happy. Best wishes to you both.

Be thankful they do not do chemo - it's hell on earth and possibly kill - My sister went there with breast cancer. Do what you can to convince her to leave work - if it is 1 year, 5 years or 10 years left, she might as well begin to live each day like its l.