My aunt was dx with bone sec’s 15years after original dx…when i was talking to my GP about this he said …how do they know its not a new primary after all that time?..So how do they tell…I was under the impression they could tell by examining the cells…anyone know?
Sorry if i’ve posted this in the wrong place.
karen
I think they can tell by comparing the cells in the secondary cancer with those from the diagnosis. Anyway, if they haven’t found a new primary why should the secondaries be associated with a new primary, isn’t it more likely that the secondaries took a long time to develop. Sometimes secondaries can occur twenty years after the original diagnosis, such is the variability of breast cancer. It’s known to develop in a different way from other cancers which if they don’t recur after five years can be considered cured. This is not the case with breast cancer. Not that GPs know much about breast cancer, mine said she only had two people who had it out of 3000 at the surgery
Mole
Can’t answer your initial question, but just wanted to say your GP is one of many who don’t know much about BC. I have come to the conclusion that GPs know a little bit about most things, if you need hard facts, go through the hosp depts!
Irene
My bone mets came back 10 years after my initial diagnosis and is definitely a secondary from my breast cancer and not a new primary as the cells are breast cancer cells in my spine.
Pinkdove