doctor sas this is very very rare-- anyone heard of this???

terihar

hello,

My mother had breast cancer 6 years ago, chemo, surgery, radiation. Her hemoglobin started to drop 6-8- months ago. To make this story shorter-- she has 'breast cancer cells in her bone marrow" HOWEVER the doctors do not think it has spread from her original site. They said that the cancer cells may have been there before the tumor appeared in her breast. She also has suffered over the past few months of a pleural effusion. The fluid does not show any malignancy. MRI's and x-rays on her chest show no tumors or growths... however she is very very short of breath... most likely caused by the pleural effusion that they have no idea why it is there. She starts on Taxotere in a few weeks. Three weeks on and one week off. In the week off they will give her another bone marrow aspiration to see if the cells have diminished.

Is there anyone that has heard of this or can help me understand what is going on since the doctors do not have any idea.

Ps-- we live in Canada so the medical care around this small town is not 'top rate'. I want to take her to a bigger center but she is commited to these doctors.

pip57

If this is a rare, I would definitely take her to one of the bigger centres.  Chances are better that they will have seen this before and could save valuable time.

terihar

i should have not made my story so short.... they did do a bone marrow aspiration... or tried... it was a dry tap so they ended up taking some solid matter from her bones and that confirmed there was breast cancer cells in the bone marrow... "packed" was the term they used to describe it...

leggo

Terihar, as for the pleural effusion that they are unable to find a reason for, I'm just wondering if perhaps your mom has rheumatoid arthritis. Some with RA, like myself, suffer pleural effusions  because of the RA inflaming the lining of the lung. It doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen. It's also tricky to detect on an x-ray or scan because it doesn't show up as a tumor or lesion, just inflamation and it took a really long time for them to diagnose me. Good luck to your mom with the treatments.

hrf

I agree that you should get to a big cancer centre to assist with diagnosis and a treatment plan. She may still be able to get treatment at home but the specialists at the big centres have much more experience and have access to all kinds of specialists quickly.

terihar

well, after the finally cat scan it has been found in her liver, bone, bone marrow and lymph nodes. She is starting chemo for pallitive care. Thanks for your responses.

take care everyone

leggo

I am so sorry. I was really hoping this wouldn't be the case.

terihar

thank you

Bitsy

Could it be a smoldering myeloma? They can linger in the marrow a long time before acting up.

2ndtimearound

Do you have a speciality facility in your area?  Go to www.USNEWS.com to check out facilities in the U.S.  You need to take your mom to a facility that specializes in cancer.  If lymph nodes are involved, then the cancer probably went thru the lymph system to the liver and bones.  Liver cancer is treatable and so is bone cancer.  I have been told bone cancer does not go into remission as other cancers do, however, it is manageable. I have bone mets but have been told treatable is the word not remission.   Sometimes the drs mean well but they do not have the knowledge or expertise in the area you need to deal with.