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| Forum | Questions | Ask a Question | |
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Metastatic Breast Cancer Questions about advanced metastatic breast cancer. |
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| 4/4/2012 | My sister, now 65, had her left breast removed 23 years ago. There was/is no cancer history in our family.Since then, she has been lucky to be in perfect health. She has yearly blood work, exams, scans, etc., to assure no reoccurrence. A month ago, she was having back pain, and went to the doctor. He advised an MRI, and an edpidural tumor was found. They said it was Metastatic Disease T1 & C7. She is now undergoing radiation. Is it possible after 23 years for this to be called Metastatic Breast Cancer? What is the prognosis, and/or life expectancy. | ||
| Replied | JHU's Breast Center Reply | ||
| 4/4/2012 | though rare to recur from so very long ago it is possible. it is important to have verification tha this IS breast cancer cells in the bone however before treating it.To do so requires a bone biopsy. there are situations in which this cancer she is undergoing treatment for can have sprung up from another organ site not previously diagnosed. The mission now is control and not cure. it will be treated like a chronic disease. if hormone receptor positive for the cancer cells in her spine, then this may enable her to have hormonal therapy for several years. that is our hope. | ||
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