Question about lymphnode biopsy report

Options
concernedmom543
concernedmom543 Member Posts: 2
edited September 2015 in Just Diagnosed

Hi all,

My daughter was diagnosed a month ago and more recently had a lymph node biopsy which came back positive. The report referred to the cancer as a "metastatic carcinoma". I have done a lot of reading on this forum and I think metastatic carcinoma would be a stage IV cancer. As far as I know no other organs are involved yet. Could it be that the word metastatic was used because it spread from the breast to the lymphnode or is that term only used for stage IV cancer.

Thanks in advance for any input.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited September 2015

    Yes, the word "metastatic" is used because the cancer spread from the breast to the lymph node. So, your daughter isn't necessarily Stage IV at this point.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited September 2015

    I think that's right. I had a 0.25 cm "macrometastasis" in one lymph node, but no distant metastasis, so was staged IIIA, due to that plus the size of my tumour....

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • concernedmom543
    concernedmom543 Member Posts: 2
    edited September 2015

    Thank you so much for the very fast replies. My daughter will email the surgeon to get the an exact staging-but then there is the weekend and I just could not wait that long. I'm already feeling a little better.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bevin
    bevin Member Posts: 1,902
    edited September 2015

    HI there, I know its disconcerting when they use words like that. Usually on radiology reports, metastatic is the term they use when it spreads from breast to lymph node. This can be anything from stage 2 through 4 if lymph nodes are involved. Depends on size of tumor and how many lymph nodes are involved. Breast Cancer is stage 4 if it has spread from the beast to a distant site . I hope your daughter is well. Its nice she has you watching out for her too. Keep us posted.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited September 2015

    The metastasis to axillary lymph nodes is regional metastasis (sometimes called locally advanced also), and as pointed out in earlier posts, and is titled that way because it is technically outside the breast, but it is different from distant metastasis, which is a stage IV diagnosis. You can be stage II or III with metastasis in the nodes only.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories