Connection between time of diagnosis/progression of illness?

AdrianaP

I'm sorry for posting here because I'm only a family member, but I thought you would all know best and typing my mess of thoughts into Google isn't doing me much good!

A loved one was diagnosed with MBC not long ago, after first being diagnosed with an earlier stage of BC about 5 years ago. She went through the treatments, into remission, and of course we thought this chapter was over.

I've seen that some people, even with her exact type of cancer and mets (bone) seem to progress at different rates. With some people it seems as though the decline is very quick and for others it seems to be quite slow moving.

I guess I'm wondering if there's any connection to the time that elapses between diagnoses. Maybe more than wondering I'm hoping - because it's taken 5 years to metastasize (her scan from only 6 months ago was clear, and as of 2 months ago it's suddenly bone mets), does that mean it may be slower to progress to other areas?

Or am I just being naive and hopeful? I hope that makes sense. Sorry if I'm not allowed to post here, I don't want to upset anybody Please feel free to move this.

Thank you lovely ladies!

TonyaB

I am not sure my post will help but I am sure others will comment. Everyone is different so it makes it hard to predict how someone will do on treatment and how they will progress.

I was told that because I progressed fairly quickly after upfront treatment (3 months later) that it was not good for me. Having said that, I found a treatment that has kept me stable for over 5 years. I have also been on other treatments for a total of 9 years since progression. Cancer is a very individualized disease. It is possible that your loved one may do well on treatment and have several years ahead of them. Also, there are new drugs all the time. There is hope.

HLB

What I have learned in 4 years of mets is that it is very unpredicable, and there are many exceptions to every general rule. I had 8 years of remission between stage 2 and mets, which I was told was a good thing in my favor. Even a VERY good thing. Hoever I only got under 2 years on my first treatment and the 2nd one I don't think helped much if any. Just started 3rd now so we will see. Others seem to get 5 years from one treatment, and others a few months. Also having bone mets and no other organ mets is supposed to be "better", but again, just by reading posts here there are s many exceptions that you really can't count on anything. Some people start with mets as the first dx and then get on a treatment and go into remission for 10 years!! The one I'm thinking about had numerous liver mets. Here are two things that see about about long term remissions: excersize and herceptin. It seems to have been like a miracle for many people.

Kandy

I also agree, flip a coin, so unpredictable. The key is finding the right treatment that her cancer responds to. No one, even her Drs have anyidea on rather she will progress or not. Only time will tell. I wish her the best.

Holeinone

I had excatly 2 years from last radiation tx to liver mets. While on chemo for the liver the Cancer has gone wild on my spine, ribs & bones.

Our oncologists prescribe different tx with hope to slow the beast down

DivineMrsM

Adriana, it's always difficult and scary at the beginning of a metastatic diagnosis. I asked all those same kinds of questions. I questioned if it mattered where the tumor was located in the breast. If it mattered whether a woman was diagnosed with an earlier stage first and then progressed, or if she was diagnosed stage iv from the start.

It helps when a treatment plan is in place, and then your loved one will try to move forward with life and the challenges having mbc brings.

I've learned to take things one day at a time. My doctor did not give me any statistics as to how long I might be around. Many statistics are outdated anyway. I take a daily anti anxiety medicine that helps take the edge of fear off so I can live life.

It has been over five years since I was diagnosed stage iv from the start. I am currently stable. You might be surprised to know all the living I've managed to pack into the years since the diagnosis. Yes, there are challenges, but this forum certainly helps with insight, information and support. I wish your loved one the very best.

Nel138281

I was dx stage 4 , 3 months after I finished my initial treatment.  Within 3 months I was NED and have remained so for almost 3 years.  All on the same treatment routine.  So one never knows - it is all so individual

pajim

AdrianaP, the only correlation anyone knows about for sure is with the "type" of breast cancer (HER2+, ER+, triple negative). And even then there are only medians. Everyone is different. As you say, some women seem to decline immediately, others live for decades.

We think of "cancer" as being one thing, but actually each cancer is very very different, so responds differently to different drugs. What works for me may not work for your friend, or vice-versa.

You're thinking that her bone mets grew in 4 months and therefore grew quickly, but it isn't so. She probably has had mets for quite a while but they've only now grown big enough for the scans to see. I bet if they go back to the scan from 6 months ago the radiologist would now say "oh yeah, there's something there" but it was too small for them to notice. That's happened to be any number of times.

I wish her the very best of luck. Everyone needs some luck with this.