New Study Shows More Women Stage IV

Aug, thanks for posting this. could you also provide a link to the article? As someone who never had a pet and who's onc does not scan or do regular labs, I'm interested to read more

• Diagnosis: Doctors often suspect metastatic breast cancer because of a symptom – perhaps a recurring pain or cough, shortness of breath, lack of appetite, headaches or an injury. They can also identify possible metastases through routine scans. They cannot make an absolute diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer without a biopsy, however. Studies show, though, that finding metastases early does not help increase survival. It is important to not blame yourself for not finding your recurrence early if you missed a scan or test, or put off getting something checked for a little while.

The info above is from the website of Young Survival Coalition. Early discovery of mets, as stated above, does not help increase survival time (you just know about it longer and undergo more tx). This seems incredibly counterintuitive , but I have read this from other sources as well. Although not young, I am one whose single met, asymptomatic , was discovered by accident during a PET not related to bc. Hypothetically, let's say I did not have that PET and went on my merry way for five years before my met became symptomatic (it was a lazy grade 1). I then receive tx and liveanother five years. Now, given the early discovery of my met, due to the PET, if I pass away at the ten year mark, it's still the same survival time. I've simply known about it and treated it longer. Complicating this further, is the concept of oligometastases, the existence of five or fewer mets to a single site. Treating oligomets early may bode well for increasing survival time, but not all doctors agree that oligomets mean anything different from any other type of mets! Very confusing... All,this being said, I am psychologically and emotionally comforted by the fact that it was found early and that I am treating it. What this means for overall survival is unknown and only time will tell.