Is ILC easier to metastase?

hlya

Just read this one, most of you might already read this:



http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0959804903007251



The aim of this study was to determine whether the metastatic potential of breast cancer could be related to phenotypic characteristics of the tumour. Therefore, we compared the metastatic patterns of invasive lobular (ILC) and ductal (IDC) carcinomas. In ILC, we also analysed this pattern according to the histological subtype of the primary and the E-cadherin (EC) expression level. Metastatic ILC cases (n=96) were retrospectively analysed and classified into classical, alveolar, solid, tubulo-lobular, signet ring cells or pleomorphic subtypes. Anatomical distribution of metastases was detailed for every patient and compared with that registered for IDC (n=2749). Immunostaining of EC (HECD1 antibody) was performed in 82 cases. Histologically, 78 of the 96 cases (81%) corresponded to classical ILC. The pleomorphic subtype was observed in 14 cases (15%), a rate that was higher than that expected. Others corresponded to alveolar (2 cases), signet ring cell (1 case) and solid (1 case) subtypes. EC was undetectable in 72/82 cases (88%). The rate of multiple metastases was higher in ILC (25.0%) than in IDC (15.8%) (P=0.016). Metastases were found more frequently in ILC than in IDC in the bone (P=0.02) and/or in various other sites (peritoneum, ovary, digestive tract, skin…) (P<0.001). In ILC, no significant link was found between the localisation(s) of metastases, the histological subtype and the EC status in the primary. In conclusion, in breast carcinomas, the frequency of multiple metastasis was found to be higher in ILC than IDC. This fact may be related to the phenotypic trait of discohesive small cells which characterises ILC. EC loss, observed in most cases of ILC, may result in alterations in cell–cell adhesion and a preferential growth at metastatic sites. A high rate of pleomorphic tumours was observed in the group of metastatic ILC, but the pattern of metastatic site(s) was not related to the histological subtype of the primary.
<br />

wallycat

Someone here posted that WE are not statistics, and I have to say that when I was first DX, I read so many studies it made my head spin.  April was my 2 years out from Dx and I read less studies on this.  Why?  Because according to all the studies, I should never have gotten breast cancer in the first place.  Cancer is a crap shoot.

It is important to look and learn and read and feel OK with our decisions, then we need to go on living.  Sure, in the back of my mind, I worry that it will come back.  I pray every day that science advances fast enough that it can treat/detect faster, better, more efficiently.

There are some very smart and articulate women on these boards and I feel blessed to have read their words.  It has comforted me.  I hope it comforts you as well.

I'm terrified of dying as much as the next guy....but maybe all this flu stuff and people dying all over the world from easily treatable viruses/bacteria has helped me with perspective.

SOMETHING will kill all of us, but few know when and what it will be....

Gentle hugs and I hope your worries can lessen.

Anonymous

Thanks Wallycat - my sentiments 'almost' exactly.  The difference is that I'm not terrified of dying (someday) because I know He who awaits me. 

We have to learn to live well, not in fear.

hlya

Sherri, Thanks! If you have any up-to-date news please share with us!



wallycat: My hubby listened to what I told him, and said seems this disease mentally hurt women more than physically (losing breasts, hair loss, long term worry, etc...), I think he is partially correct at least. We should not let it dominate our daily life.



But I am just dx recently, very hard for me to get it out of my mind..each night when I go to sleep I have it in my mind, each morning when I get up I have it in my mind......sometimes when I was playing with my family/kids under the sun, a shadow suddenly came up.....



When did most of women start to go back to normally life (not 100% but at least 85%)? after the treatment? or after 5 years? 5 year is not short...



Patoo: When I was dx, I was much more sad than scared...yes I am scared but I am more sad...I don't want to hurt my family who love me and need me so much, I felt very sorry to them more than to myself.....I haven't told anything to my parents yet as I don't want to hurt them....*sigh*

wallycat

QAnna,

My co-worker said something smart and very similar to what your husband said : "they can cure you of the disease, but not of the diagnosis."  

Each of us takes our own time.  I think for me, once my treatment was over, it was easier to put aside but--we are all human and we all fear cancer and disease.  I was dx in april of 07, had my lumpectomy in May, decided on bilateral in June and started tamoxifen in july...all in 2007.  While going to doctors for surgeries, labs (and their results) I was a MESS.  I read back some of my earlier posts and can "hear" the fear in them.  I imagined dying every morning...it was horrible.

Of course when I see myself in the mirror, it reminds me again---in that regard, your husband is right.  I think intially we feel we have to "act."  Once we've done all we can, we can step back and try to get some of our life back.

I know you will do well.  Your husband sounds like an amazing support; you have this BB; you have doctors you trust and you and I can hang onto the thought that science is advancing and going to find a cure sooner rather than later!

Gentle hugs.

hlya

Hi, wallycat,



You have a good co-worker! My story is different, since I was dx I don't want to talk to anybody about it, I am probably a kind of weirdo, I don't really feel comfortable with the sympathy coming from other people who don't get cancer, the only people I want to talk to are your girls and my husband (of course my parents love me very much but I don't want to ruin their happy life of old age).



When I was dx the whole world looked differently to me, when I saw the flowers I was thinking "how long can I see them in this world?"....and the one made me worried and depressed most is the "unclear" future....I remember a lady on this forum said she never thought about her retirement/pension plan as she even doesn't know whether she could live untill retired.......also my attitude to life starts to changed as well....



A psychologist could probably get rich if he/she specialize in BC, but to me, unless he/she got cancer him/herself, otherwise it's hard to convince me. *sigh*

wallycat

Oh my Dear QAnna, you sound JUST like I did at Dx.  EXACTLY.

My husband wanted to do something, and I sobbed that I would not live long enough to enjoy it.

I sobbed that I robbed him of a happy retirement (he is 17 years older than I am) and that I was "supposed to" be there to take care of him and now he was caring for me....

and you know what he said..."life gives you no guarantees" and he was right.  If we take the attitude that we should "know" what will happen, we would never do anything.   And we would never have to take out insurance.  Yes, I am bitter and angry that I did all the right things and still got cancer, but time helps.  My twin sister has been a god-send to me. 

You can't stop enjoying and making plans with anticipation to die.  Many women here (read the inspiring story threads) die of something else...they get dx in their 30's or 40's and die at 90 of something else.  Do not let cancer take the next 20, 30, 40 years of your life.  It has taken enough.

My gyn is a BC survivor.  She was 31 or 32 or something like that and had 2 small children; she is now 57 and still working, traveling to underprivelaged countries to volunteer doing surgery and she is enjoying life.  She is planning and will attend her daughter's wedding this year!

It is great that you are expressing your fears and worries because ALL of us have had them and occasionally have them again...just remember that it takes time. 

We are all here, sharing the same panic, worry, anger.....

Best to you

p.s. I was told I should see a counselor because I was a mess in the beginining.  Just when I think I am "doing better" I have a small melt-down (I sobbed at my last onco visit because my joint pain from the tamoxifen and I felt robbed of my youth)...but I haven't gone yet.   And if you really wanted psychologist with BC, I'm sure there are many!!