How Does Bone Mets Act? Treatments and Tests?

SugarGlitter

Hi. I've been diagnosed with bone mets in hip and scapula which started out as an annoying, then sharp pain in my hip to where I just couldn't ignore it, and could barely walk. Within a week, the pain was gone, now after radiation, a month later the pain is back.  My first question does bone mets pain come and go? Or is this a sign that the radiation did not work in the hip and now it's coming back?

Secondly, I'm reading lots of stuff about tumor markers and blood tests being given to see how bone mets is progressing.  I've never had a tumor marker test, and my oncologist didn't perform any blood tests for my 4 years after diagnosis. He said they weren't necessary as had so many false positives.  Is this true? It sounds like a lot of you ladies have had blood tests.  Can you tell me what they are for? And what is a tumor marker?  And how often are you having these tests?

Feeling rather dumb about all this....

33skidoo

Sugar,

Bone mets can be quite variable.  Sometimes mine hurt, sometimes they don't.  It was that way before my diagnosis as well.  The radiation can kill the cancer but cause damage to the bone.  What you feel may be normal, but I wouldn't assume anything.  Tell your doctor about any new or returning symptom and let him or her let you know whether it is significant.  You shouldn't put up with a lot of pain; you deserve to have it treated effectively.

Different doctors have different practices regarding tumor markers.  My doctor runs mine occasionally, but does't tell me so I don't stress out about them.  He thinks that symptoms are a better indicator than markers, which are notoriously unreliable.  Other doctors test them regularly, and note trends.  Ask your doctor about his or her philosophy.  If you are a worry wart, maybe you don't want to know.  Others really want to know every little detail.  Whatever works for you.

pitanga

Sugar,

I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I can´t contribute much to your question about pain from mets coming back after rads, because mine (cervical spine) have been mostly asymptomatic, apart from a few days right after I had begun rads. But the pain went away as treatment went on. That was in July and I haven't felt them since then. I do have other sources of pain in the area -- osteoarthritis -- and that continues. Also, shortly after my mets dx, I started getting a terrible pain in my hip that my onc thought was probably another tumor but turned out to be a benign inflammation of the joint socket. Ironically, controlling that pain has been much more difficult. So pain can have various sources.

Are you getting Zometa? This helps the bone to heal the damage done by the metastasis. It re-mineralizes the bone structure. I have been on it since March, monthly infusions.

As for the tumor markers, I have been getting them in my blood work for the past 10 years and they never showed anything abnormal. Now, here I am with mets to my cervical spine (found when they checked me out in detail after I was dx'd with a local recurrence last January) and the tumor markers have still continued normal, as though nothing at all was awry. I know other ladies here have also found them to be not very reflective of cancer activity, but there are others for whom they do seem to help get an insight on what´s happening.

Lisa 

marshakb

Tumor markers for me were always normal too until just recently.  All thru original dx to mets never had any abnormal test of any kind.  Liver/bone mets started growing recently and I had the first tumor marker elevated as well as liver enzymes.  Go figure.  As to bone pain, I had rads to left femur, right hip and lower spine.  I still have occasional pains if I overdo something physically (DON"T let your hubby put your knees over his shoulders for example).  Also the pain could come from just plain ole damage to that area that has not healed.  A nerve could be exposed causing pain that might seem to come and go.  Sorry for your dx.  It does suck for sure.

Wendy0

Hi my treatment is monthly zometa and I take femara (letrozole). Pain comes at night and I drift in and out of sleep. My creatine is climbing and I have a small amount of cancer in 2 lymph nodes. The zometa seems to have given me back a normal life and I could't beleive I would walk normal again.

No more using my arm to lift my leg into the car. My lower spine, legs and pelvis is effected.

Wendy

LuAnnH

Tumor markers may or maynot be something that works for you.  They must be taken over a time period and compare them against the cancer progression and shrinkage.  Some people they mean something and others they don't.  Some oncs choose not to run them at all because they don't feel like it is a good tool.  My opinion is to try them, if they work use them and if they don't then stop running them.  Why not use every available tool out there for you.

 As to the pain, it could be the radiation working.  You said you completed the rads a few weeks back.  Radiation actually take 4 to 6 weeks to start really working.  You could be having tumor flare from the radiation.  Some people believe that cancer cells that are dying rapidly can cause pain.  This pain is refered to as tumor flare.  If the timing is right it may be the cancer dying off and hopefully will sbuside.  Do not be brave and try to bare out any pain.  If you are suffering ask for medicine to help your pain.  I have learned the hard way that pain does not always go away quickly or easily.  So take whatever relief you can, it really does help in the long run.

candie1971

Hi to those of you that have bone mets, I have a question. I have been having severe pain in my left hip area,groin and left leg..top to bottom. I have to lift my leg to get it in the car. I have a hard time walking and I am using a cane. I have found that a heating pad at the gorin area helps me to sleep. I started taking an antiinflammatory and it reduces the pain to where it is tolerable. The reason I am saying all this is 'cause I have had exray of hip, lower back and pelvis. CT scan of hip and plevis and MRI of hip and lower back. All show minimal osteoarthritis, and says no evidence of mets. One orthopedic surgeon wouldn't help me and kept sending me back to my onc who said all is ok. He suggested I find another ortho. I did, He says tho it only says minial arthritis, my symptons indicate that I need a hip replacement which I have scheduled for on Dec 16th. What is the chance he is wrong and this is mets. Onc says my blood work is fine. I am still a nervous wreck over this and have been suffering with this pain since July.

WI, I don't mean to bud in on your questions...my hugs and prayers are with you. I hope all goes well with you. I just thought maybe you can help me too.

mason204

I agree with LuAnn.  After rads to my hip, I'd say I was totally pain free about 3 months afterwards.  The pain was never as severe as it was the first time but it would come and go and finally disappeared 3 months later.

candie1971

BUMP

LC815

Hi everyone.  I've been diagnosed with sub-centimeter liver mets (2 spots dx 10/09), had my ovaries out three weeks ago and have been on arimidex for about four weeks.  I am freaking out about pain in my ribs . . . feels sore, not shooting or overly painful.  It's where my bra hits and there are sore spots in back and in front.  It feels like there should be a bruise, but there isn't.  I had my ovaries out laprascopically, and I wondered if it's realistic to think it could be gas, still, after three weeks.

My tumor markers were high when my onc looked at them on Friday, but he said it's too early to get any real information from them.  He's giving the non-chemo route one more month.

I almost can't take anymore. 

konakat

LC -- if the pains are more on your right side it could be the mets in your liver that are causing the pain.  If you're not happy with the AIs, push for the chemo -- whatever makes you most comfortable to do.

LindaCohen

Hi

I was diagnosed in early November with bone mets (right hip).  I was first diagnosed a little over 4 years ago with stage two breast cancer.  Now I'm triple negative.  I've started zometa ( one treatment so far), and I'm on Aromasin (incase I have some er pos cells).  I'm scared.  I feel as though I'm looking death in the face every day.  I had rad to my hip, but no other mets as of yet.  My dr doesn't want to do anything more until other mets appear.  Do I have other choices?  I feel as though the clock is ticking.  I'm 48 years old with three wonderful kids and a great husband.  I just want to be happy again. Help.

TriciaK

I think the usual is hormone treatment for this and zometa which is what you're getting.

It's probably wise to keep the "big guns" like chemo for when you may need it more.

Mnay women do very well on this regime and live a long time so while it's very scary, try to think positive and know the hormone tx and zometa are helping:)

Sorry I can't advise more.

Tricia 

BetsyMae

Hello!

I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer last year. Following chemo (Taxotare and carboplatin) I received 19 sessions of radiotherapy. I thought all was well but following my CT sca this summer and some hip pain I now have a diagnosis of mets in my left acetabulum (part of my pelvis). I have started having Zometa infusions and have just had 5 sessions of radiotherapy.

I would be interested to hear from anyone else in a similar position.

KPolasek

I am a bit scared .... I have had IDC, triple neg, stage2a, 0/3 nodes  - left breast .... I have been having some hip pain ... on the right side.  My doc ordered an xray of my hip ... and tomorrow I will have an MRI with contrast done.  Needless to say ... I am freaking .... My original diagnosis was October 2007.  Once a person has a cancer diagnosis .... it never ends.

Thanks for reading and understanding my fear.

cmhartley

Hey there KPolasek:

I am assuming you've already had your xrays and MRI.  Do you have the results yet?  Please update us when you find out something.  We will all be thinking and praying for you in the meantime.

Cat