If you are not Stage IV but have questions, you may post here

I am newly diagnosed IIIA this February and am in chemo. I was experiencing back pain, so I had a bone scan. It turned up minimal uptake in the 6th rib. My oncologist is calling it a strain and I will have a repeat bone scan in 2 months. I looked up rib strain and I have not had any of the causes or associated pain. I am wondering if this is what early mets to ribs can look like. My PET scan and CT scan were clear in February.Thank you.

Thank you Chrissy. Your response is reassuring. This is my first bone scan and I’m feeling a little frustrated learning that bone scans can pick up mets not seen on the other scans. And I can’t help but wonder if this is something that was here all along. It is hopeful to hear that strains can happen during treatment. I appreciate you reaching out. Love and hugs to you too

Hi everyone, it is so nice to have the support of the people here. I finally had CT scan, got results today. A small bit of fluid causing some pleurisy and some thickening of chest wall, inflammation from radiation. That's it, no mets the only answer to the pain is irritation from radiation. I am relieved of course but wish pain would go away.

Thanks for the support and words of encouragement.

Hello everyone,

Recently about 2 weeks ago I started having discomfort around my waist line, it's kinda go down to lower back above the butts both sides and circle to the groin area. It's more bothering when I sit working but I am able to walk fine. I do stretch everyday. Went to see gynecologist and she ordered pelvic ultrasound. Then I saw PCP for a cold inflection, and she ordered lumbar X Ray. Another thing the discomfort kinda go down to my legs below the buttocks Tuesday but they come and go. Could any of this sounds like bone Mets? What does bone Mets symptoms feels like? Thank you everyone.

Houston, I agree with MJH. Sounds a lot like sciatica, but another possibility that crossed my mind is a kidney stone, or even some intense constipation going on. As MHJ said, bone mets pain can be a bit different for each of us, depending on extent and if nerves are involved, etc. But people with bone mets pain often describe it as intense aching or burning vs. what you've described. Also, in many cases, it's exacerbated by activity -- not the reverse. If you pain is coming from the sciatic nerve, see if putting pressure on the area where that nerve is located (I'll give you a diagram) helps you locate the source of and possibly relieves the pain some. But the pattern you're describing often emanates from that nerve when it's been pinched or hurt. Keep us posted on what you find out!

https://www.google.com/search?q=sciatic+nerve+diagram&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US512&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwidx7X36uzaAhVLr1QKHZrACqgQ_AUICigB&biw=1550&bih=742#imgdii=7ZzNn9kt9CkMBM:&imgrc=DvxL3AnJBYBIaM:

Are you aware of anyone who started out with Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS) or Atypical Neoplasia and eventually ended up at Stage IV Breast Cancer? Thank you.

Lea, there is also something odd about that story with the surgeon wanting a wider excision and radiation after the excisional biopsy but patientnot doing it. It sounds like to me there was more on the path report than just LCIS, because that wouldn't have been suggested for only LCIS.

MelissaDallas -- I think you may be on to something there. Good catch.

Lea7777 I guess in a way I fit into that group you mentioned in your post, "Thank you MelissaDallas and Icietla for your responses to the question, "Are you aware of anyone who started out with Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS) or Atypical Neoplasia and eventually ended up at Stage IV Breast Cancer?"

I was diagnosed with calcifications at my very first mammogram when I was 50. I had 22 core biopsies performed, none of which produced any samples. I saw a breast surgeon, who told me that patients in that situation go either one way or the other. Some turn malignant, some don't. She was quite casual and referred me for the usual two yearly mammograms without (i now know) adding any mention that I had calcifications. I had absolutely no idea of the significance of calcifications and duly turned up for my mammograms every two years for ten years before I became seriously ill. Because every single one of my mammograms were reported as clear, breast cancer was the last thing on my mind. By 2015 I was unable to get out of bed I was so weak. I didn't make it to my 2013 or 2015 mammograms but self examination showed nothing. My breasts appeared perfectly normal and, anyway, I was too sick to walk outside, let alone go out. Suddenly in 2016 my left breast changed shape radically so we called a lab who would take blood from me at home. My CA 15.3 report showed a result of 784 and "metastatic breast cancer". My husband organised a morning of tests for me the next day and I was wheeled from one to another. I was in a very poor state. It was obvious immediately on ultrasound that my left breast contained only a 2cm ductal tumour but the right one was a mess. It contained a lobular as well as a ductal 10cm tumour plus activity in the sentinel node yet external appearances were completely normal. I can only think that the lobular tumour was hidden and the ductal tumour was hidden by the lobular tumour. I immediately had a bilateral mastectomy with 29 lymph nodes cancerous and removed. Bone scan showed extensive mets to the bones. My entire skeletal system is covered in mets so I was staged as de novo Stage IV. The tumours were 95% to 99% hormone positive so I'm taking Ibrance and Letrozole and will be doing so for the rest of my life. Quality of life isn't great because of pain and difficulty with mobility but my health has improved radically since treatment began.

My advice to anyone who is diagnosed with calcifications? Follow up and keep following up even if your breast surgeon tells you it's unnecessary. If I'd been given the advice to have a bilateral mastectomy at the time, I certainly would have had to think hard about it but, with hindsight, I would have been healthy now with no sign of cancer in my body.

Another for Rosabella

https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/wiley/endocrine-therapy-in-dcis-how-do-we-proceed-VazBr09oJF

Nice articles, Icietla. Thanks for sharing.

You are welcome.

>>does that translate to here and there?<<

Yes.

Thank you Chrissy sooooo much for starting this thread.

I don't know if this question has been posted or not, but how can they tell the difference between arthritis on a bone scan and bone mets? My fear is that they are saying it's arthritis because my cancer wasn't aggressive, but it's actually bone mets.

Another question is curiosity really. I see you Chrissy with basically the same cancer as me only yours was quite a bit bigger, how did they know you had mets? The only reason I had a bone scan done is because the ER doctor found spots on my spine on the CT scan.

{HUGS}

Cheryl

Chrissy that is wonderful news about your remission! Unfortunately I am in pain, but that could be arthritis as well. The spots were apparently small. I am waiting for my hospital records to be done so I can pick them up. Was suppose to have them last week. Thanks for responding, I appreciate it.

Cheryl