Hi everyone.
I was first diagnosed with BC in 1997, aged 37 with 3 young children. I had a lumpectomy, chemo, radiotherapy and 5 years of Tamoxifen. Fast forward 23 years to 2019 and a routine mammogram showed that the dreaded BC had returned. It was in the same breast, same type and grade but this time it was in 3 lymph nodes in the breast. I had a mastectomy, under arm clearance (thankfully NED) and prescribed Letrozole for 10 years.
After developing a skin condition affecting the genital area; Lichen Sclerosis, which can turn cancerous, also in 2019, (but misdiagnosed for 4 years!) I went to my GP in October 2024 with a small lesion. After a long drawn out process, I had a biopsy and the results show a Basal Cell Carcinoma which needs further surgery to completely remove. Luckily it’s a slow growing, low grade cancer but as it’s rare to develop in the genital area, the consultant wanted to do a CT scan as a precaution. I’ve had the scan and in the meantime I’m in Thailand on the holiday of a lifetime and crippled with anxiety 
I was asked if I wanted the results of the CT scan whilst I’m away and I said No Thanks I’ll wait until I get back.
I’m now convinced the scan will show mets from the BC. It’s ruining the holiday I’ve saved for years for. I keep thinking how am I going to tell my children and grandchildren that I’m stage 4! I’ve had this hanging over me for 27 years and it’s so hard to bear.
Any tips or advice are welcome. Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading x x x
Hi @Hevs I hope I’m not speaking out of turn here because I have no personal experience of mets but a woman I know reasonably well developed secondary BC on the skin fifteen months ago. I remember her saying that it generally shows up on the upper torso and hers was on her breast around the lumpectomy scar. In fact, she had a form of chemo lite with some sort of electric pulse I seem to remember and also creams and, although I haven’t seen her since before Christmas, I hear she is doing very well and, whilst technically incurable, received a good prognosis in terms of survival. She is my age so would have been 67/68 at the point of diagnosis. So if (big IF) that is what it is, then there is hope of containment. We are all guilty of jumping to the worst case scenario, it’s only natural but it is such a shame that this scanxiety is ruining your lovely holiday. I do hope you get good news when you get home.
Hi @Tigress
Thanks for your reply.
My new cancer is not related to my BC. It’s a Basal Cell Carcinoma, but the Gynae consultant wanted a CT scan as a precautionary measure. I’m not worried about the skin cancer, as this type rarely spreads. I’m anxious that the CT scan will show up other mets from the original BC. I don’t have any symptoms but because the scan was unexpected, it sent me into meltdown! 
Oh I see, apologies for the misunderstanding. For what it’s worth, I had a stage 1 grade 1 IDC with an excellent prognosis and even I had a head and torso CT scan two years later due to a gastric issue. I think they’d rather be safe than sorry. Once again, I hope that the news is good when you eventually get it.