Possible Recurrence - Questions Keeping Me Up All Night

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Teddy88
Teddy88 Member Posts: 102
edited August 2017 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hello Friends:

Thank you for taking the time to read my post - all responses most appreciated.

I was diagnosed in 2014 with a small tubular (under 1cm) and had a lumpectomy and radiation. ER/PR+ and HER- The KI-67 was 2%. My doctor did not feel a node biopsy was warranted.

Annual mammogram on Monday shows four spots of interest - same breast as before - and will do stereotactic and US-guided biopsies this Monday. Certain ones may be fat necrosis and scar tissue. There is one little calcification in there -- and that is exactly how my cancer was spotted the first time.

Here's my question: if I have a recurrence or new primary - is there a reasonable chance that the cancer is not confined to the breast area? I thought small cancers would be confined to the breast area, and that negative nodes (if testing as such) mean that the cancer did not spread?

Late night internet reading (bad idea, I know) seemed to indicate that if this is a recurrence, the cells could have taken a trip through my body and set up shop elsewhere.

My last mammogram was 10 months ago and all looked okay.

I read many of the other topic posts - but I still don't understand what the likelihood of distant spreading may be. I was so ignorant - I thought small meant it stayed local!

Thanks for your kindness in considering my question.

Best wishes,

Belle

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited August 2017

    Belle, I am very sorry to hear you are being tested again. That being said and based on your history there is nothing to suggest at this point that anything has spread. Possibly, this is a false alarm but even if that is not completely false alarm it is likely a small local recurrence that hasn't spread anywhere. Of course, you will know more only after all the tests are done.

    Hang in there!

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  • Teddy88
    Teddy88 Member Posts: 102
    edited August 2017

    Thank you so much for the reply, Muska - its so greatly appreciated! Hanging in there and happy not to feel alone. Thanks again!

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

    Wait to get these results and if they are positive for cancer, then worry about elsewhere. Most likely, a slow growing local recurrence, if cancer, but there are no guarantees with anything. If it goes come back positive, they will evaluate nodes and also assess for symptoms that may indicate spread.

    Hoping it is all benign

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  • Teddy88
    Teddy88 Member Posts: 102
    edited August 2017

    Thank you so much, KBee! Greatly appreciate feeling less alone here with your kind response. Keep you posted and thanks again!

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  • moodyblues
    moodyblues Member Posts: 470
    edited August 2017

    Teddy, Monday seems like a long time away when you are thinking on things of this magnitude. I know for me it woke me in the middle of the night and all I could do was ask God to take this from my mind, that I couldn't change anything by worrying, only He could.  Over and over I prayed the same thing through the week till my BX.  I don't know of your beliefs but, we all know worrying cannot change anything, it just consumes us.  I will pray for peace for you and comfort in all of this.  

    ~Melanie

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  • Teddy88
    Teddy88 Member Posts: 102
    edited August 2017

    That is very beautiful Melanie - thanks so much for that as it is exactly the way to be strong. I am a believer, too. Your note was the bright spot in a very tough week. From the bottom of my heart - thanks so very much.

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  • Daczahow
    Daczahow Member Posts: 45
    edited August 2017

    I have already had a reoccurrence in April of 2016 in the right supraclavicular lymph nodes. At the time I was still going every 3 weeks for my herceptin treatments. So I started over again with a new staging of 3c. In March of this year I noticed twinges of pain under my right rib cage. It comes and goes ...I went to my GP and they did an ultrasound done they were concerned that it was my gallbladder however no evidence of gallstones or any other abnormalities on the ultrasound. In May I noticed that pain was becoming more frequent. Most of the time it feels almost like a muscle spasm under my rib cage. I've also been having pain and my back under my right shoulder blade. I have A PET scheduled for 24 August. Just wondered if anyone had similar symptoms prior to liver Mets. I am optimistic and really hoping that it's just a gallbladder issue even though the ultrasound didn't look abnormal.

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  • Teddy88
    Teddy88 Member Posts: 102
    edited August 2017

    Dear Daczahow:

    I don't have any information for you on the topic you have posed - but wanted to send you best wishes for good results on your test on Aug 24th.

    xx

    Belle

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