Dumb question probably…but I’m a dummy so…

Barb,

If you don't stop calling yourself a dummy, I am personally going to read you the riot act! I would imagine that none of us, save for a few in the medical profession, knew anything about breast cancer other than generalities when we were first dx'ed.You are no less informed than most of were when we were first dx'ed.

If you have had surgery, then the post surgical pathology report will give stage and grade. Stage and grade are also given at biopsy but that is preliminary. I highly doubt that anyone can tell how long the cancer has been in your body. Cancer can lie dormant in the body for years. It can also grow so slowly that it's small size makes it undetectable. As far as how long it's been at a given stage, again this might be difficult to determine as well. May I ask why this would be important to you? I hope it's not to heap more blame on yourself because it's not your fault!

If possible please take a few minutes to fill out and make public your dx line. To access your signature line, go to settingsand scroll down to signature, diagnosis, and treatments. After you have entered the info, make sure you've set things to public. This way, you don't have to repeat your dx to everyone who asks as they can read it below your posts.

If we know the particulars of your bc it may help in giving you info that pertains to your situation. For instance, you mention on other threads that you are stage IV. Did you know that we have threads dedicated to each metastatic site? Take care.

Barb,

I mentioned this on your other thread, but positive axillary lymph nodes are generally not considered stage IV. Many patients have positive axillary nodes but this is not the same as distant metastatic recurrence. I am not a doctor so there may be instances where axillary nodes are considered metastatic (note: path reports will sometimes use the word metastatic for positive lymph nodes but this is not the same as metastatic spread of disease to other organs) , but I am not familiar with those instances.

Barb:

With solid tumors they can sometimes give an estimate of how long you've had it but it's generally not something that is regularly on any reports and I'm not sure if they are able to determine this with IBC.

Just to give an example of how the estimate might be done, a solid tumor breast cancer must undergo 30 cell divisions before it's palpable. I imitially found my cancer when it was small...about 4mm. It was misdiagnosed and allowed to grow for almost 2 years. Because I know how much it grew in that time, I was able to use a tool to calculate how long each division took and could then extrapolate backwards from the 4mm. For me I estimate it was between 3 and 5 years before I initially felt it. However that is just for the invasive cancer. I could have had DCIS much longer, where the cancer cells were spreading in along my ducts without clumping in to a tumor.

Barb, do stay off Dr. Google.

Barb,

I really looked around quite a bit and have yet to find anything that states that bilateral positive nodes equals stage IV. So let me be frank, you do not know if you are stage IV and you are not dying. Since the only reason you want to know how long you have cancer or how fast it grows is to beat yourself up, stop, just stop. It won’t matter with respect to possible treatment and self flagellation is pointless and emotionally destructive. No amount of self inflicted punishment will change the past. Whatever situation you are in today is all you can deal with. Focus on the here and now. Use this time to relax and enjoy your family. When you’re feeling a little calmer write down all the questions and concerns you have so you can ask your doc at your appointment. If possible, bring someone with you as a second set of ears. If you can’t, ask your doctor if you can record the meeting . This is actually helpful even if someone is with you as you will be receiving a lot of information. Do not be afraid to ask your mo about anything you don’t understand. It is her/his job to help you understand your health.

Please stop attempting to figure out your diagnosis via Google. That too is you mo’s job.

I’m sorry you find yourself here Barb.

I think you might be confused between your cancer metastasizing to your contralater lymph nodes and you having metastatic breast cancer. Although I do not think it’s common to find the breast cancer in the other side of the lymph nodes my friend actually had a tumour on one side with positive nodes, and positive lymph nodes in her other axilla. She was not considered stage 4. She was stage 3C when diagnosed.

I have read some literature on estimates about how long cancers would possibly be present. It’s just hard for any of us to really know. I have wondered aboutthat too bc I got so many clogged ducts and mastitis with my last pregnancy. She just turned 4 three days before I had my biopsy. I wonder if the DCIS and the Invasive breast cancer was part of that reason. I read about postpartum breast cancer too and my MO mentioned that I had three kids and the hormone fluctuations. It makes me wonder how my reproductive choices and timing played into it. But really, it doesn’t matter. I can’t do anything different and I would do this all again to have my kids…. so at the end of the day what happened before diagnosis doesn’t matter. Now what matters is what I can do going forward to live the best quality of life for the longest time.

Again, I’m sorry you are here with the rest of the group. Be kind to yourself.