Strange Recurrence

CatherineS

I am researching information for my mother.  She is 69 years old.  She was diagnosed 07/08 with a fast-growing tumor in her right breast.  She has an extremely rare type of breast cancer called "metaplastic" carcinoma of the breast.  This type of bc occurs in less than 1% of all bc cases.  Not only does she have metaplastic bc, she is also triple-negative.   She had a lumpectomy, clear margins, 0 nodes, grade III.  She had 16 treatments of AC followed by 4 treatments of Taxol, followed by 33 rads.  She finished treatment in 03/09.  This week she had what we assumed would be a cyst removed from beneath her scalp just behind her left temple.  It looked like a large pea under her skin.  The pathology confirmed that it was a metastasis of her breast cancer. She is now considered stage IV.She has an appointment in the morning for a bone scan, then she sees her onc on Monday and will probably (I'm guessing) get an MRI, PET or CT next week as well.Have any of you ever heard of a recurrence like this?  I don't know if it was attached to her skull (bone mets?) or if it was just in her skin tissue.  Usually, this type of bc will recur in the lungs first, then liver, bone and brain.  We're on pins and needles wondering where the heck else it might be in her body but telling ourselves it was just this one small spot.  Any information you have or experience with metaplastic/triple-neg. bc would be appreciated along with your prayers.  What is this??Thank you. 

SoutherMother

I'm sorry that I can't help you but did want to pass on some tips to getting your question answered.  In the upper right hand corner of this website is a Search button.  Press that and you'll be prompted to put in your keyword.  Put in "metaplastic" and press the search button.  It will show you all the topics that have mentioned it.  I did it and I noticed one topic that mentioned it was associated with triple negative breast cancer (TN).  There is a seperate section, dedicated to TN breast cancer on the forum index.  I bet if you posted your question there, it would get a few answers.  Just know that no matter where you post, we care and hope the best for your mother.

hollyann

Catherine, it sounds to me like skin mets.....There are a couple of women here who have them.....Mets from bc can show up anywhere be it the skin, bones, lungs, liver, or brain or any organ for that matter even the eyes........Just remember though there are a lot of women who are stage 4 for many years......I met one lady whocame here briefly to tell her story who was 18 years living with mets!....Good luck to your mother!......

CatherineS

Thanks so much for the helpful tips!

CatherineS

Thanks, hollyann.  Skin mets, we just weren't prepared for that.  It seems so odd.  I would have figured if it was going to come back in the skin it would have been at the site where the primary tumor was located.