I am due to see oncologist this week immediately after CT scan. I think they feel I’ve waited long enough and we need to get moving. My bone scan showed increased activity in skull (where a bone lump has developed) and L5 spine. I suspect it is elsewhere in my skeleton. I feel it is spreading quickly as I’ve gone from feeling well ,a month ago, to feeling weak and sore now. I have had 2 primary breast cancers both hormone positive but the first was HER2+ and the second was -ve. My question is, how can they decide on treatment without a biopsy of bone.
I’m going to phone bcn tomorrow as I am desperate to lessen any delays. Has anyone experienced this? Looking for advice if possible.
I am not a Doctor but I am sure the right biopsy will be applied. If memory serves, I think there is usually more than one site a biopsy can be taken from, even if there ‘conflicting’ receptor status.
I have 3 x spots on my spine and I asked about a biopsy but because its the spine they don’t want to do a biopsy, I was told risky. My primary cancer 5 years ago was er+ so they suspect 98% sure it is the same. Push for what you feel is right and asked questions
This is a worrying time for you and you need to factor that in when you are assessing your health. I had a habit of attributing everything to the cancer treatments I’d had!
I had two tumours, one ductal, one lobular; one hormone receptive, the other triple negative. My treatment was delayed while they established which one had broken through. Unfortunately it was the TN. There were also very long delays from my noticing the first symptoms (Spring 2020), owing to the pandemic, a useless GP, a GP practice which would not take the advice of my optician that I needed a referral to Ophthalmology (my secondary tumour is in my eye socket, close to the bridge of my nose!!). It was a full year in fact, then three months to the biopsy, then two months analysing the tumour, sending it off to different parts of the country to see if I qualified for various trials (no). However, my oncologist said it made no real difference, although I’d developed skin mets in various places in that time. My treatment would have been the same last year or this year and its effectiveness the same. And (touch wood) very effective it has been. Touch wood again.
My advice is not to panic and trust your team. You’ve had breast cancer twice so you know how good the MDTs are. My experience is not yours so a call to your breast care nurse to discuss your anxieties is wise. I’d be surprised if your oncologist has your CT scan results at the time of your appointment so check this with your bc nurse to avoid disappointment. I’m treated at a regional centre of excellence and they don’t magic up reports that quickly.
I notice you posted yesterday so. Maybe you have made your call and to some answers. A secondary diagnosis is horrible but, once your treatment is started and you see results, the anxiety may ease a little. I wish you all the best xx