prognosis for <1mm stage IV

Options
vivo
vivo Member Posts: 532
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

What about the prognosis for little but stage IV breast tumours? If the chemo works what are the possibilities the tumour to disappear? I think a short tumour is more likely to disapear than a bigger one? But if it is stage IV that means it will recur more quickly? Where can I find reliable data?

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • jill323
    jill323 Member Posts: 412
    edited March 2009

    Vivo -

    Hello.  I saw your other post too but did not answer because I am very confused.  I have never seen a tumor of less than 1 mm be called stage IV.    Staging is determined by three things... 1) size of tumor, 2) node involvement, and 3) distant metastisis.    To be called Stage IV cancer, the determining factor is number 3.  Indeed a stage IV tumor can have any size and may or may not involve nodes.   However, there is always metastis somewhere. 

    Accordingly, have you been talked to about metatstis ?   Can you say a bit more about the pathology and what they found exactly ?   This might help us get you in touch with the right folks.

    Jill

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • vivo
    vivo Member Posts: 532
    edited March 2009

    first of all thanks for your concern...

    These are the facts we know so far 1) the size is about 1mm because docs couldn't find it with needle biopsy...they only found it in pet scan (there cannot be a surgery doc said) 2) there was metastasis in supraclavicullar lymph nodes(about 3 or 4 cancerous I think) which where all taken out with surgery last December-no axillary lympth nodes involvement 3) there is a metastasis in the bone of the waist.

    The docs were confused at first. The situation was misdiagnosed as salivary cancer and there was a false surgery there! Only after the pet scan that found the problem in left breast the docs talked openly for breast cancer.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bluedasher
    bluedasher Member Posts: 1,203
    edited March 2009

    vivo, when a cancer has spread but they can't find a primary tumor it is called an occult primary. I think it is fairly rare which is why you aren't getting much response. Dr. Susan B Love's Breast Book has something about it. Also, use the search function of the discussion boards with "occult" to find what others have posted.

    I'm a little surprised by the misdiagnosis. I thought they could tell by looking at the cells of the tumor where the tumor came from.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • vivo
    vivo Member Posts: 532
    edited March 2009

    thank you very much...my English are not so good and I was trying to find the right words for "occult primary" so as to search anywhere else! You helped me so much...It's been so tough the things the last two days that I felt helpless. So your clue was wonderfull and I'm anxious to start a reasearch for my case.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • anianiau
    anianiau Member Posts: 182
    edited March 2009

    Another term to search under is "cancer unknown primary" also known as CUP. The New York Times had an article on it on March 10. "Genetic Tests May Reveal Source of Mystery Tumors"

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • vivo
    vivo Member Posts: 532
    edited March 2009

    Thank you very much anianiau!  The new test gives hope and at least a possible way to act right now...I love new researches!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories