Recurrent Breast Cancer in bones & Liver

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mhalsakn
mhalsakn Member Posts: 10
edited March 2018 in Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis

I was diagnosed with stage 2A BC 2.5yrs ago, been in remission. In 12/6/2016, diagnosed with recurrent BC with mets in bones (spine,thighs,neck,pelvis) and 1 met in liver.

I am shocked how can an early stage jumps into metastatic advanced stage with so many mets in my bones that didnt show in my last exams back in June of 2016. Can Cancer recurr and spread all over in just small period of time

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  • nrsteph
    nrsteph Member Posts: 114
    edited January 2017

    mhalsakn- I am sorry to hear about your recurrence.  I was diagnosed right out of the gate last April with Stage 4 and in was in my liver, bones, lymph nodes and two huge tumors in my breast.  I didn't notice because I was still nursing my third child.  This diagnosis can be very difficult but there are many women here who will be here to listen and I hope that provides a little comfort.  Again, I am sorry that you find yourself in this position.  I am here for you.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2017

    mhalsakn,

    We're so sorry you have to be here, but really glad you found us. As you can already see, our community is full of amazingly supportive members who are always willing to share their thoughts and advice.

    Please come back often, ask questions, look for support and support others. We're all here for each other, and there's no better community around!

    ((((Big Hugs))))

    --The Mods

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  • stephilosphy00
    stephilosphy00 Member Posts: 386
    edited January 2017

    mhalsakn,

    So sorry to hear about your recurrence. Did you have oncotype test when you were diagnosed the first time?





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  • Lauriesh
    Lauriesh Member Posts: 692
    edited January 2017

    yes, unfortunately cancer can spread that quickly. Certain cancers like her2+ or triple negative are very aggressive. The good thing is those cancers usually respond really well to chemo.

    Good luck with your treatments.


    Lauri

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  • bluepearl
    bluepearl Member Posts: 961
    edited January 2017

    Very unusual for a stage 2A to go bad like that unless it was grade 3 or high oncotype.....and treatments used. So sorry you find yourself stage 4 but it is still treatable, especially if you are hormonal +. Triple negative has a bad reputation for coming back around 2 years out. (((HUGS))))

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  • mhalsakn
    mhalsakn Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2017

    thank you all for your prompt support..

    Im glad to be here...

    Yes my tumor was Grade 3 although the stage was 2A back in October 2013 when I first was diagnosed. I read about Grade 3 , it meant it is of high profileration which as I understood cances of recurrence are usually high. Because I had 2 nodes +ve out of 9 tested in sentinel lymph node biopsy at that time, my oncologist decided not do oncotype as I am will be receiving chemotherapy anyway.

    The thing is where I am trying to find answer to when I did my checkup back in June of 2016, I was still in remission and my biomarkers were all normal with no sign of mets till early December I started feeling some nausea and bone pain and faitgue, with Petscans, CR scans, & ultrasound that showed many bones mets in my spine, neck, thighs, & pelvis & 1 met in my liver. Thank God my brain was all clear. Can it spread this fast to bones?

    I am waiting since a month to have all tests and scans completed till my oncologist decides on my treatment plan, I am also afraid that this delay will make my mets spread more and more, I feel I am getting pyscho about it, although my physician says assured me that my cancer wont spread more.

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  • mhalsakn
    mhalsakn Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2017


    thank you all for your prompt support..


    Im glad to be here...


    Yes my tumor was Grade 3 although the stage was 2A back in October 2013 when I was first diagnosed. I read about Grade 3 , it meant it is of high profileration which as I understood cances of recurrence are usually high. Because I had 2 nodes +ve out of 9 tested in sentinel lymph node biopsy at that time, my oncologist decided not do oncotype as I am will be receiving chemotherapy anyway.


    The thing is where I am trying to find answer to when I did my checkup back in June of 2016, I was still in remission and my biomarkers were all normal with no sign of mets till early December I started feeling some nausea and bone pain and fatigue, with Petscans, CT scans, & ultrasound that showed many bones mets in my spine, neck, thighs, & pelvis & 1 met in my liver. Thank God my brain was all clear. Can it spread this fast to bones?


    I am waiting since a month to have all tests and scans completed till my oncologist decides on my treatment plan, I am also afraid that this delay will make my mets spread more and more, I feel I am getting pyscho about it, although my physician assured me that my cancer wont spread more.

    I also feel bit of pressure in jugular vein in my neck , & my physician transferred me to a vascular surgeon who didnt confirm any unbnormality in vein but noticed thenodes there are swollen, told me I will feel better with cancer treatment & referred me back to the oncologist.

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  • stephilosphy00
    stephilosphy00 Member Posts: 386
    edited January 2017

    It seems like you have a very aggressive tumor. Is it TNBC or Her2+？

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  • mhalsakn
    mhalsakn Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2017

    Actually, I am ER+ve (90%) PR+ve (40%) and her2 -ve

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  • stephilosphy00
    stephilosphy00 Member Posts: 386
    edited January 2017

    This is too crazy.

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  • KathyL624
    KathyL624 Member Posts: 217
    edited January 2017

    I'm sorry you are going through this. What has your treatment been besides chemo? Have you been on tamoxifen? Maybe switching to an A.I. Will bring those mets down

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2017

    Actually it's not that crazy. About 30% of early-stage cancer will eventually spread. Grade 3 puts one at higher risk and 2 positive nodes means the tumor was on the move at Dx.

    I'm sorry you find yourself here and please take comfort on the fact that there's a lot of treatments, with more coming down the pike all the time

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited January 2017

    Bad_At_User_Names is correct. Approx. 30% (overall) of early stage bc will go on to metastasize, and many times it seems like there is no rhyme nor reason to it. You can be Stage 3C and never recur, or Stage 0 and recur without symptoms. It can happen in 2 years or in 20. We are never "home free," so to speak. I personally believe that stress has a lot to do with recurrence, but it's probably a combination of things, including genetics.

    Come join us in the Stage IV forum section, where you will find others who have been through the surreal shock you've just experienced and are living with metastatic bc -- which, thank goodness, many oncs are now treating more as a chronic condition, keeping us thriving much longer than any depressing statistical information you may have come across.

    Because there is so much new in the world of mbc treatment (i.e. targeted therapies, like palbociclib and genomic testing), assuming you're in the US, it's a good idea to at least get an opinion from a top notch university medical center, where they deal with a lot of mbc and are really up on the latest research. Here's a list. https://www.cancer.gov/research/nci-role/cancer-ce... What med(s) are you on now?

    I'm so sorry you're facing this, but don't give up hope! Many women, including me, are doing very well and living fairly normal lives in spite of mbc. It will just take you awhile to get over the shock and start moving forward. In the meantime, if you haven't already, click on the Stage IV section (within All Topics to the left), and you'll find all sorts of great threads and supportive people. (((Hugs))) Deanna

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  • mhalsakn
    mhalsakn Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2017

    I been on Tamoxifen for 2.5 yrs since I finished my Chemo (AC+T), my oncologist waiting for FISH test results to confirm if I am Her+ or -ve then will set up a treatment plan. What is known I will be taking Xgeva monthly, instead of once every 6 months regimen. In case I am her-ve, I ll be taking Letrozole+Palbocicilib thats what I knew for now.

    I am seeing my breast cancer surgeon again next week to check up on jugular vein in my neck, it is a bit protuded outside showing a little pressure and ultrasound showed glands enlargment but no malignancy


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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited January 2017

    Morning, we'll 8 plus years ago I did treatment for dcis, rads surgery and 5 years of aromasin

    In November 2 weeks after I completed surgery for hydrocephelus, i started with pain in groin.had pain I my tummy which increased when I ate, CT scan of abdomen shows Mets to liver so biopsy is set for later this month, meantime need to follow up with nuerologist about my brain thing

    Can you say freaked out?

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited January 2017

    Proud - Oh No! What terrible news. I'm so very sorry. This S*#T is insidious. I'm so sorry.

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited January 2017

    Wow, proudtospin, I'm so sorry about what you're going through! Question: Did they do a pathology on the brain fluid from your surgery? Or perhaps that's what you meant about following up with neurologist.

    Also, when I was first re-dx'd, they thought I also had liver mets. Thankfully I knew from a previous MRI for something else that I had a sizeable, benign, liver hemangioma. So what was initially thought to be liver mets from a PET scan, I knew wasn't -- although I did have bone mets. Of course the biopsy will tell, but my point is, if you've never had a scan of that area, there's a possibility it could be something benign.

    Oh gosh, keep us posted! Any mbc recurrence is horrible, but always so much more frustrating and shocking when original dx was Stage O. Hugs, Deanna


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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited January 2017

    thanks for your thoughts, still u clear about what is really happening, lots, too many doc appts upcoming

    Good thing is my onco is fantastic and the cancer center has grown in past years and is now connected with memorial Sloan Kettering,

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited January 2017

    Proudtospin, Keep us posted. Hopefully the biopsy reveals something benign. Sorry you're dealing with this.

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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited January 2017

    thanks, my nuerologist is top in his field and is out of Columbia Presbyterian, my breast oncologist is part of Hackensack university medical center. Both are leaders in their fields so would find it hard to think that the brain surgery caused the liver issue

    But got a boat load of doc visits upcoming so surely will get to the bottom, yeah one gym pal told me that 10 years ago she was tested for cancer in her liver.....Turned out to be a gluten wheat intolerance and not cancer in any way. I am crossing figures for something dumb like that

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited January 2017

    Keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you too, PTS.

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  • janetlane
    janetlane Member Posts: 5
    edited January 2017

    Did you have a lumpectomy or mastectomy?


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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited January 2017

    I had lumped plus rads and an all for 5 years

    Going for biopsy on wed to figure out if and what sort ihave

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  • mhalsakn
    mhalsakn Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2017

    Hi Proudtospin, hope all will turn out good and you will feel better.

    I had my FISH test result came out finally last Thursday, I am HER2 -ve. I have been waiting for it for almost 2 weeks. I knew the delay happened because the pathologist wrote my last name wrong on slide compared to my last name on request form. It was a spelling error.

    Now I am ER+ve PR-ve HER-ve compared to when I was first diagnosed back in October 2013. That time my PR was +ve.

    I dont know how my cancer changed to be PR-ve and how will that affect my outcome and treatment, I am also trying to understand if there is a significant difference between ER and PR. I am also trying to understand since I am still hormonal positive, I am taking Tamoxifen since 2.5 years and taking Decapeptyl injection every 3 months , how did my cancer came back? My treatment suddenly stopped working?

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited January 2017

    Tamoxifen does not work for everyone. It did not work for me. Mine also changed from PR positive to negative. Hoping your plan is in place too

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited January 2017

    I'm no expert on PR-, but I can maybe add something, which is that recent research points to ER+ needing PR+ to function as hormone positive. In the past, the role of PR was not understood, but I think they have or are beginning to unravel that mystery and better understand why those who are PR- may not respond to ER+ meds, as previously believed. I don't know how across the board this new information is, but it's certainly something to research yourself if you're in this situation, and it sounds like a logical explanation for those instances where hormonals didn't work for those who are ER+ but PR-.

    Here are just a couple of articles on it:

    http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2015/07/08...

    http://www.cancernetwork.com/breast-cancer/uncover...

    The good news I think from this is, that they may be able to level the playing field by adding progesterone to your regimen. Deanna

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  • mhalsakn
    mhalsakn Member Posts: 10
    edited February 2017

    I had pleural effusion last week , they removed all the fluids in my chest and I can breath better now.

    I took first dose of falsodex and will start soon Ibrance.

    My treatment plan :

    Falsodex Inj.

    Ibrance

    Xgeva monthly

    Decapeptyl every 3 mos

    Im also taking Dexamethasone now


    Hope all will work well and will stay in remission as long as possible

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited February 2017

    Hoping they work for many, many, many years nad that the side effects are not too harsh.

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  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited February 2017

    Deanna, thanks for those two links on PR-. They really help make sense of it.

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  • mhalsakn
    mhalsakn Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2018

    Hello everyone, The sad news my wife passed away on 26/08/2017 four days before her 40th Birthday may her soul rest in peace after 4 weeks in ICU. Cancer progressed fast in liver caused liver failure then kidney shut down a day before my wife passed away and the heart stopped. Chemotherapy didnt have time to give effect. And it seems change in PR status in -ve made cancer aggressive & resulted in poor prognosis. My wife fought cancer bravely for past 4 years with courage & kept her smile. I miss her a lot & kids miss their mom too but i am sure she is in a better place

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