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Hi Janni
Before I reply I would like to mention that this is is in secondaries part of the forum so if any primary ladies don’t want to read this please don’t. It’s only that similar posts have caused concern among primary ladies who have read them inadvertently.
Secondaries can appear a long time after a primary has been treated (and there is no evidence of the original disease) as there is no cure for BC - it goes into remission, hopefully forever but sometimes not for very long. At the moment there does not seem to be a test to establish why this happens to some ladies and not to others. However I’m sure the research into the human genome will eventually identify whose BC is likely to return, and why, so the primary BC treatment can be more tailored.
My secondary BC was diagnosed nearly 5 years after my primary had finished being treated however I know of other ladies on the secondaries part of the forum whose BC has come back as secondaries 20 years after their primary. Also some ladies have had a primary and secondary diagnosis at the same time.
However a recurrence is slightly different from a secondary diagnosis. A secondary, ie Stage 4, diagnosis means that the BC has travelled beyond the breast and lymph nodes to another part of the body. I’m not sure if you have been diagnosed with a recurrence or secondaries and therefore what treatment you will have.
As to whether being disease free affects the treatment options it is all down to your receptor status and whether that has changed since your primary. Treatment is for the right receptor status but things such as surgery and radiotherapy can be involved depending on what stage your BC is (3 or 4) and where it now is.
I hope this helps but each case is different and therefore your oncologist will be the person to guide you regarding treatments. One thing most of us secondary ladies have learnt is not to do too much research on the Internet - it’s a scary world out there with some very scary statistics that don’t necessarily apply to you, they are for the population in general and are most often outdated.
Nicky X
Hi Janni
like Nicky, I am unsure about whether you meant a secondary or metastatic bc.
many of us ladies in the secondaries bit of the forum have metastases, from apparent rogue cells which have travelled in the body for whatever reason…then grown again in a new place.
regarding your question about having been disease free for such a long time and future treatment options…you would be best placed to chat to your consultants…my guess is, that everyone is different, as there are quite a lot of variations of bc and im told that within each of those even more.
Breast cancer care have a really helpful section on explainng this topic…here is the link …
it must have been a big shock for you to get your new diagnosis… Mine appeared to return about ten years later. From what I have heard, there is no way to know at present why some people havent had it back, I have met a few ladies who have been 20 years or even more, in remission and I just assumed that their bc was a different type to mine or that they were just a bit luckier…as Nicky said with the genome research, they will likely soon be able to predict for the future. Do let us know how you get on, this is a good place to get support…we are all in the same boat and and we are here for youxx
Moijan???
Hiya Janni
Mine returned after eleven years and oncologist said I was just unlucky that a rogue cancer cell didn’t die with the primary treatment but just went into hibernation!!
I think reading various articles that new primary ladies now get a test of their primary and then it’s graded as high medium or low risk of reaccurence so the correct after treatment is prescribed at source …this sounds a good breakthrough really … primary ladies get scanned more too now so survival rates are better as things are picked up quicker. Looking back …2015 was my first ever scan when dx with bone Mets that might have been there for years previously and silent !!!
Hugs xxx
Hi Janni,
how is your treatment going now?
hugsx
Moijan???
Oh Dear Janni, Xx
yes, One never knows. My dad was ill this time last year and died in May, my bc seemed to get a bit haywire then, but now is under control.
I expect, like me you have access to free counsellor sessions at your hospital?
i found the sessions very useful, even just to get a fresh eye on things can help. I have also called the helpline above, over the years, they too are very good.
however, some think recurrence is due to the odd stray bc cell having spread initially and then growing later on, for a range of possible reasons, so it might not be stress.
do keep sharing on here, ( if you feel up to it) as we are all in the same boat and a plethora of minds can be better than one. Xx
Moijan???
hi Janni, i was offered counselling after my primary and have been going ever since. If you have the opportunity give it a try…if you feel its not for you then you can stop. Regarding happy pills…i tried to keep off any tablets for as long as i could but eventually i had to sbmit to an antidepressant…i take a very low dose of citilopram. I have learned now to try anything that may help deal with this awful disease. keep posting and let us know what you deide. x
The recurrence of BC for me came after 20 years. The second half of those years were fine and just as I was about to retire, I was as fit and well as I have ever been. I really believed that I’d seen the back of BC. However, a period of stress - linked to bullying at work - and feelings of frustration and anger - I think triggered the recurrence BC. It isn’t so easy to get rid of that anger, even though that period of my life is over a done with - and even though it was a ‘successful’ outcome for me. BC is the sword of Damacles - one is forever waiting for it to strike. I’m convinced that mental and emotional stress contributes significantly to the occurence and recurrence of cancer.
A sensible eye on lifestyle helps, but keeping oneself stress-free is paramount.
Hugs and best wishes
C
x
Barbara, hello and welcome. We wish you werent having to post here but you have come to the right place for love and support. What a terrible blow for you…no wonder you are at sixes and sevens. You dont say whether your lung nodules are primary or secondary breast but i’m assuming the latter. You have been through so much. I too had bi lateral mastectomy, diep reconstrction, radiotherapy and hormone therapy but all to no avail. I now have skin, bone and pleural mets. Yo will fel better once you have seen your oncologist and you have a treatment plan in place. I am currently visiting the Marsden re: a trial and they have been brilliant so i’m sure you will be well looked after. we cant do anything to make this awful thing go away but we are always here for you if you want to rant, rave or cry. Please let us know how you get on. xx