Has anyone experienced this?

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Jaypee60
Jaypee60 Member Posts: 16
edited June 2014 in Second or Third Breast Cancer

My recent MRI showed metastatic lesions on verterbrae T-10 thru S1 but all blood test and tumor markers show absolutely nothing going on.  Have any of you had this happen?

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  • Analemma
    Analemma Member Posts: 1,622
    edited March 2009

    My tumor markers and all blood tests have always been in the normal range, even with mets.  My only abnormality ever, has been with low while cells, from chemo.  I think you'll find a lot of ladies who have tests in normal range with mets.  But, we are known to be metastatic, so perhaps we get these tests before they would reflect something abnormal.

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  • lovinmomma
    lovinmomma Member Posts: 1,879
    edited March 2009

    The only way I knew I had mets was due to my scans. It was my original dx.

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  • Crystalady
    Crystalady Member Posts: 133
    edited March 2009

    Hi, About 3 years ago I had my Thyroid removed because of a multi nodular goitre. Apparently this is something  common with people who have had BC. I had the BC just over 10 years ago.  The blood tests showed Normal for thyroid function with no sign of cancer in the blood tests. After my surgery the doc told me I had one large aggressive tumour and 4 other sites.

    I saw the doc about September last year who told me for my 10 yr post BC check up. Congratulations he said, it looks likeyou've beaten it- no sign of cancer in your blood tests.

    Christmas Eve I was having a biopsy on a lesion in my back. More blood tests. No sign of cancer in the blood tests but Merry Christmas You have Metastatic Breast Cancer.

    I don't know why I have to pay for blood tests when they have let me down so many times.

    I have yet to receive an answer that I'm satisfied with.

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  • Fitztwins
    Fitztwins Member Posts: 7,969
    edited March 2009

    My doctor doesn't do tumor markers..My other tests were normal...mets present with symptoms.

    So yes, it happens.

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  • Vondie
    Vondie Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2009

    Hi all

    I have not started any treatment for my mets as yet but I am so fatigue - my whole body hurts chest, abdomen etc. Has anyone experienced fatigue while waiting to start treatment?

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  • Crystalady
    Crystalady Member Posts: 133
    edited March 2009

    Hi Vondie,

    I think that sometimes the fatigue comes from being so stressed. What treatment are you having?

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  • Vondie
    Vondie Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2009

    Not sure yet. Meeting with onc on Monday 30 March but when I spoke to him on the phone he said sometime about Taxol and something else. Will let you know on Monday but I did AC -finished in December, then did radiation in January. I guess it can be the stress but I don't want to do anything but remain in bed.

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  • Jaypee60
    Jaypee60 Member Posts: 16
    edited March 2009

    Thanks for the info, Ladies.  My lower back started aching in June of 2008, which was no big deal. Most of us have back aches from time to time. In July, I finally went to Orthopedist #1 and he ordered a MRI. Both the radiologist and Ortho#1 saw Degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, lumbar spinal stenosis (L4,L5 and S1) and arthritis. His treatment...it's going to get worse and take two aleve twice a day...that was it.  In August I decided to see a physical therapist; took the MRI films and reports to her and she basically said the same thing, emphasizing the treatment would be basically pain management and stretching. So now, that 3 doctors who saw the same MRI. My back was getting a little better but at night I could only sleep about 4 hours then it would start aching. I went to numerous websites seeking information about the spine and DDD and every last one gave the same symptoms, especially waking between 3-4. However, the Lord (that little inner voice) kept prodding me to look further, something was going on with my bones. Had a bone density test done and now was dx with high risk osteoporosis of the spine. He kept prodding me to look further, so hubby and I went to his Orthopedic surgeons group practice dragging along the same MRI's. Ortho#2 said he only wanted to see the MRI film, not the report first. Now this is doctor #4. He was suspicious of L1 right away. He then looked at the report which said L1 andL2 were normal. By then these MRI's were over 6 months old and he immediately ordered a new set which I had done that next week.  Sure enough, metastatic lesions from T10-S1. During this whole time, from Nov.2006 to present I was going to my original Oncologist group once a month for a port flush and every 3 months blood test etc. I mentioned my back problems several times but no one ordered any type of scans. They were strictly going by the blood test and markers. I'm telling you all this just to remind you to listen to that little inner voice, you can call it intuition if you want; for me it is the Holy Spirit; especially when what you are feeling and test results don't make sense.

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  • Vondie
    Vondie Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2009

    Went I meet with onc next week, I will also ask him about a bone scan, something is going on with my bones, as they say I can feel it in my bones but will discuss it with him and hear what he says

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  • swmmom
    swmmom Member Posts: 73
    edited March 2009

    Jaypee,  Can you be more specific with your back problems before your diagnosis? Where was your back pain? How bad was it and did it feel as a dull or stabbing pain or did you feel an ongoing dull,pressure kind of pain? iDid switching positions like lying down help your discomfort? Did sitting down for a long time make it worst?  I am sorry to ask so many questions but I have been suffering from lower back pain since September 08 and I am trying to see whether I should get an MRI to rule out metastatic disease.  My oncologist ordered a bone scan and also a CT scan on October 08. Both test results came back normal with the exception of CT showing degenerative disease on my lumbar spine. I do a lot of my work on the computer and it is becoming almost unbearable to sit at the desk without taking  breaks every 15 minutes to do stretches.  My pain is mainly in my lower middle back and my back feels stiff and I feel pressure.  As I said, it is worst with prolong sitting and I never experience discomfort while sleeping. 

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  • Jaypee60
    Jaypee60 Member Posts: 16
    edited March 2009

    My back pain started in the lower back, mostly on the right side.  It progressively moved upward, but it seemed to be muscular, on each side of my back bone. You know when your back hurts you sort of unconciously compensate for it one way or the other, which causes other problems in your back.  It was a dull, nagging pain 24/7. I tried ice packs, heated packs which would take it away for a little while but would always come back before the day was over. But these are the same symptoms for DDD and lumbar spinal stenosis. When your disc are out of wack the nerves which branch off the spine will become affected and trigger points along that nerve will start causing pain. As for lying down, at first I could only sleep on my right side (where the problems were). When I slept on my left side my right side would start aching enough to wake me up. Now, I can only sleep on my stomach with pillows under my lower back, on the floor and only for about 4 hours. Then I have to get up and walk around for awhile, take a vicodyn and I may get back to sleep about 5 or 6am. Every once in awhile I'll fall asleep on my back with pillows under it, but it's still for only about 4 hours. My poor hubbie wakes up and I can see the worry on his face. If I sit down it must be on a hard surface with good back support or in short order the back starts screaming. Horses are very lucky....they can stand up and sleep. If you've had a bone scan and CT scan recently and they are negative, I'd say that's good BUT for your own peace of mind, yeah, I'd get the MRI. The website I went to about DDD was spinehealth.com. I will say my chiropractor was the first to mention the possiblity of bone cancer due to the inability to sleep at night, although on the spine health website those with DDD have that problem too. There is so much going on in my back it's ridiculous....scoliosis, DDD, osteporosis, arthritis, lumbar spinal stenosis and now these lesions; it's hard to figure what causes the pain. What helps me most is my TENS unit - Transcutaneous Electronic Nerve Stimulation device. It's about the size of a pack of cigarettes and is run by a 9volt battery. There are 4 sticky patches you can put on the trigger points on your back and when attached to the unit it will send small burst of electricity to those areas and interrupt the pain signals to the brain. Hope this has helped you.

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  • dreamwriter
    dreamwriter Member Posts: 3,255
    edited March 2009

    I started my cancer journey at the physiotherapist due to back pain.  He was mystified as the more we did to help my back, the worse the pain became.  And he was stymied as to why I did not have a sense of balance.  It turns out that whenever something goes wrong within my body, the first thing I do is lose my co-ordination.  This has resulted in me falling off my own toilet twice.  He had the clues but not the answer to the riddle.  I paid $300 for just about nothing.... but more questions.  Then I went to the doc about this little problem with my right nipple.  And I found out I had breast cancer and the onco knew - he was ordering a ct and bone scan the day after my mastectomy.... he KNEW that I was stage 4.... I had only met with the onco once.... and he had not let on to any suspicions... so I was dx Dec 20 and a month later found out I was stage 4 from an ER doc.  I had yet to start chemo.  I am happy to say that was more than 3 yrs ago.... and I am still going strong.  I still walk, talk and breathe on my own. 

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