As the country observes Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day on October 13, advances in drug therapies have turned the disease from an immediate, grim prognosis to a longer quality of life, according to doctors at The University of Kansas Cancer Center.

Metastatic breast cancer is where the breast cancer spreads from the breast to other parts of the body, including organs or bones.

There is no cure, but thanks to targeted drug therapies, many women are now living an active life for years with the condition controlled, much like a chronic illness such as diabetes.