Hi
For the last few weeks I have been feeling an intense pain just below my left breast. Saw my Onc. yesterday and thinks it must be a bony met in the rib - what else could it be she said? I mentioned that my 13 year old son keeps picking me up to show off his strength and we discussed that it could be a broken rib. The symtpoms are the same and she said an Xray would show up a problem but not wether is is cancer or broken.
Anyway the onc is going down the route it is a met. she is arranging a bone scan and an appointment with the radiologist.
Anyway 2 questions - I was diagnosed originally with breast cancer in Nov 2006, then mets in the sternum and surrounding area in June 2008. If it had now spread to rib is that quick? or a normal progression (whatever that is). And secondly, the onc. thinks one dose of radiotherapy will sort it. has anyone else had this and one dose sort it out - and will it clear it completely or just lessen it. Onc was so busy yesterday had no time to answer questions, and anyway, I have only just thought of them after sleeping on it!
Hi Ena…ribs are a really common place to find bone mets…one dose of radiotherapy should sort it out…I had one dose to my sacrum which solved a pain problem completely. Have you had radiotherapy before? Sometimes the pain gets worse before it gets better…it took 3 days of worsening pain before I had no pain at all after my treatment. It may be that you had a micro met which has only just made itself known. What treatment are you on at the moment? Perhaps it’s time for a change but it may not be necessary just yet. Do you have bone strengthening bisphosphonates? Belinda…x
To answer your question about speed of spread - I was dx with extensive bone mets in skull, ribs, collarbone, all areas of spine and one side of pelvis. All of this came with no warning until one day i had severe sciatica down my leg. It was early December 02 and I had all the scans etc. but was going on holiday that week so things got a bit delayed and at the time the onc didnt warn my how widespread it was!! In the new year I started on bisphosphonates and was scanned a few weeks later. In that time it had spread a lot more - to the other pelvis and hip as well. So yes, it can move quite fast. The good news is that the treatment since then has kept it pretty stable.
Hello Ena - sounds like you have a strong son! I was diagnosed with a tiny hotspot on a bone scan in Summer 07 and was refered for an MRI when they discovered that three areas of my spine were involved and two ribs. Within six months I also had involvement at the top of my femur, so it’s not unusual to develop more places of bony mets quite quickly. However, bisphosphonates have definitely slowed down the progression and if you aren’t on these already I’d recommend you talk to your onc about them.
Hi,
I too have bone secs and after a nasty reaction to a byphos did not have it again until this May when bones were really beginning to be a problem for me. I had radio therapy to rib cage and noticed the pain go after a couple of days various other bones were treated and then I started pamidronate I cannot believe how my bones have improved this time last year I could not get in the bath, plus it had been known for the roof of the car to be put down so I could climb in, much to the nieghbours delight. Hope they get you sorted it really is a pain we don’t need to suffer.
Love Debsxxx
Thanks for your feedback - it’s good of you. The message seems to be that, yes, spread in bones can be rapid but there are ways of controlling these mets either through radio or biphosphopnates (bips). I am not currently on bips as onc. said not worth it as just had mets in sternum but maybe now she will change her mind. I thought bips just helped strengthen the bone, but you seem to be saying that it can halt the progression of cancer and I have heard this from other people who were on a breastcancercare course with me in portsmouth earlier in the year.
Thanks again
Ena x
I think you should press for this - I think it has halted my bones progression and my bones basically dont give trouble, you can have radio if these don’t work or fail, but they are really good and work very well for so many people. I am really suprised you don’t have them.
They stopped my zometa after 18 months but pain came back after 6 weeks so now having it 4 weekly again and it has made a difference. the onc said zometa stays in bones for 3 months or more but didn’t seem to for me so definately press for biphos.
How long do you have to wait for bone scan and results? i hate the waiting - we all do
all the best
kate
Just thought of a question and hope you don’t mind me asking: if these biphos treatments halt the progress of bone mets and help with the pain, is there any reason why they are not given generally as a matter of course to prevent bone mets?
I had bone mets in 1 vertebrae and a bit in ribs but no pain from either. I was changed from tamoxifen to Arimidex and Zoladex, had a bone density scan which showed signs of osteoporosis. Onc put me on Zometa immediately in the hope that it will halt the bone mets and also help with the osteoporosis. Only had 4 lots so far but fingers crossed it’s working (blood tests show all ok/normal). If the Zometa doesn’t work or it becomes too difficult to find a vein for the iv, they’ll try another bisphosphonate and rads if need be. They seem as confident as they can be about being able to control it within the unpredictability of the disease overall so I’m happy with that !
Interesting question, Peacock, and there have been studies that have shown that bisphosphonates given to women who are still in the primary phase can help to prevent secondaries. I think there is a trial going on in the UK on this at the moment.
I tried to press my doctr to prescribe bisphosphonates for me while I was still at the primary stage, knowing of the research studies that had been done. They are relatively cheap and are available in tablet form which would mean less hospital time. But he flatly refused because he said that bisphosphonates weren’t licensed for primary breast cancer. He also said that there could be some nasty side effects of bisphosphonates, especially jaw bone problems (which is, in fact, very rare). I think there have been other women who have had bisphosphonates prescribed, though, at the primary stage - perhaps because they have show bone thinning, I can’t remember.
Do ask for bisphosphonates Ena…I know in some parts of the UK they are only offered after a fracture…this happened to 3 people I knew with bone mets. They can help prevent spinal cord compression too. I was diagnosed with both bc and bone mets when my hip spontaneously fractured 5 years ago. I’m fine now, have great hip replacement and full mobility. I’ve been on bisphosphonates since early 2004 and have had no more fractures.
Belinda…x