mammograms & MRI= negative but diagnosed w/breast cancer stage 4

brrenda12 · September 2009

Hello, I am hoping to find some answers for my co-worker's mother. She is 60 years old, yearly mammograms have come back normal. Went to doctor in July due to hip pain. After series of tests (blood work, bone scan, and then biopsy), series of doctor visits (family doctor, internal med. doctor, oncologist), biopsy was examined by a pathologist and was ruled: breast cancer stage IV.

After the diagnosis, internal med. doctor ordered an MRI on breasts....came back normal!!

There is no cancer in the lymph nodes either.

Oncologist does not have a good explanation as to why MRI and mammograms wouldn't show breast cancer. How can this be possible?

CapeBretongirl · September 2009

Dear Brrenda12; My heart aches for you. I wish I had answers for you. I want to welcome you to this site, but wish you didn't have to join. (((hugs)))

brrenda12 · September 2009

I'm really sorry...i failed to say that this is my co-worker's mother. My co-worker and I have a strong bond due to her husband and my mother both had cancer.

07rescue · September 2009

It's rare, but it does happen that breast cancer can show up first in areas distant from the breast. I have a friend who also has Stage 4 breast cancer, but they never found a cancer in her breasts, but in her bones and other areas. The diagnosis is made based on the type of cells that are found, not their location.

leaf · September 2009

I think this is known as Carcinoma of Unknown Primary origin (CUP). This NCI website says it happens in about 3% of cancer patients. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/unknownprimary/HealthProfessional/allpages

See21lady · September 2009

I had an inverted nipple in Dec. My mamo was normal so I ignored it. Went to the Dr. in July. Mamo was normal, ultrasound was normal, needle biopsy was normal and the MRI was normal. My dr did a surgical biopsy anyway and found invasive lobular cancer. 4.5 cm. I was lucky she pursued it. I agree how is this possible.

MsBliss · September 2009

My doctor's mother in law had cancer in this way. They never found the primary tumor, but it was appearing in other areas of her body. She had aggressive treatment.

mammograms & MRI= negative but diagnosed w/breast cancer stage 4

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