Topic: Metaplastic Carcinoma

Hello - 

I have done some research on apocrine metaplasia because it turned up in my path report. Apparently it is a precursor to metaplastic carcinoma and frequently co-exists because the cells are simply in a different stage of developing into cancer. Apocrine metaplasia is sweat gland cells that appear in the breast. They are out of place and I believe that they think that cells have turned into sweat cells. If you search metaplasia in wikipedia it tells you more. I think there can be different kinds of metaplastic breast cancer depending on which kind of cell has replaced the breast cell. Did you have apocrine metaplasia? Perhaps if you search that term, you can find more. I would paste some things that I have found but I can't figure out how. It doesn't seem to want to let me paste. I hope this helps some. It apparently is very rare. I think I have seen other people on this list who have it. Best wishes! 

Hi Shelley..Im not around here much anymore...a bit of a low time with me recently since dh has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer(knock on wood) so far looks like well confined. In Aug 2004 I was diagnosed with metaplastic carcinoma which means that in Aug of this year I'll be 5 years out from diagnosis. There is a some research out there on metaplastic(use search terms metaplastic breast), if that is your thing. I have about 50 journal articles saved if you wish to read any. Let me know if you're so inclined. You may not want to do that right off the top though until you get a tad more familiar with everything. A couple of things to note. First, if you do research you absolutely will find articles that indicate "metaplastic BC has a poorer pronosis thatn IBC ". Take a deep breath, and dont panic(been there done that), because right after that you'll find articles that will tell you that the prognosis is the same. Because it still is so rare there is alot they dont know.

   Secondly, I dont know where you are but make certain that you are treated by a major cancer hospital if that is viable. My surgeon who has been around for awhile and specializes in breast C, only had one other metaplastic case, my oncologist had a few and was at a cancer hospital. I went to the Mayo for a review of my treatment just to be on the safe side. Even they had not seen alot of metaplastic but more than most others.

   Thirdly, get a 2nd opinion on your pathology slides. Did I say that loud enough ? GET YOUR PATHOLOGY slides read elsewhere :) Yes im yelling at the top of my lungs ! Very few pathologists have seen metaplastic, and you want to be absolutely sure what you are dealing with. My local hospital, gave me one report, when I went to the cancer center for chemo and rads, they read my path completely differently, and thats when my slides went to Dr. Rosen who is an expert on breast pathology(ty once again to Shirlann who wisely suggested I do that). This is even more important now, than when I was diagnosed because there are certain chemos avail that target certain things(Egfr overexpression as an example)that are usually present in metaplastic carcinoma. You want your oncologist to be operating based on correct info. More importantly, Im sure everything will be fine down the road, but if it isnt, and you do have a recurrence years later, there will be many more treatments than there are now(there always is) and they may have something that will work on metaplastic specifically, and if the worst were to happen you'll want to know .

Hopefully i havent overwhelmed you with too much too soon. If you do want to communicate with me, send me a PM, and I'll give you my email address. As I said, im not here that often now and once things get sorted out with hubby I'll be back to my normal routine. If you're wondering , why am I here when I said hubby has prostate cancer and this is a BC board, let it suffice to say, stick around, and you'll feel the comfort and support of these boards. Sort of like Mom's chicken soup when you had a cold as a child.

Hi Karen

I see you have joined our metaplastic group....I was diagnosed in Dec., and have just finished chemo in June. I'm sorry you have joined us....Have you had your surgery yet? I saw that you were debating having mast vs partial. I went with the bilateral...but I had DCIS in the other breast back in 2004, so it was already 1/3 gone.

I hope you stay on the boards here, there aren't many of us metaplastics here, and some women don't stay and post.....and some do, which is wonderful, you never know what you may learn from someone else in our subtype.....

Hope you are feeling well, from reading your posts, you seem to have an attitude and strength about you that will help you get through the next few months of tx.

Hugs
Judy

Dear Cheechan ,   My sister has Metaplastic breast cancer.your story sounds much like hers. She was diagnosed in Feb 08 after going to her doctor since Sept 07. He thought it was just a cyst . Evidently it looks much like a cyst .The doctor just got fluid out and disgarded it . Then blood 2 or 3 times after that over the next 5 months befor he finally got it tested. Being very rare they couldn't figure out what it was after the biopsies  until March 08 . Then because it was so large ,tried to shrink it with A/C and taxol. It kept growing after the chemo so they decided to  do a mastectomy in May08 (8cm).3 weeks after carboplatin + taxol and radiation it came back in January 09 (3cm)  . Then Gemzar and taxatere  and it came back while she was taking it  (1.5cm) in June09. Got second opinion at md anderson . They pretty much agreed with Vanderbilt. Then 3rd recurrence in August 09 Same area as the other recurrence eccept this one inoperable because it is wrapped around nerves and vessels. Now they are trying to shrink it with ifosfimide nd A/C dense dosage. She has had her second treatment and this month they will check to see if it is shrinking before they give her the third treatment. It was 8cm in August. All recurrences are under the arm area .  This is pretty scary but we are hoping and praying that it will shrink. She lives in Nashville area.Maybe we can keep in touch and I can let you know if this chemo is working. Stay strong  and God bless you           

Hello Cheechan, Thank you so much for the prayers. We did ask the doctor about the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and she told us that her cancer would not respond. I know she is HER2 neg but we didn't get an HER 1 result so I'm not sure why the doctor thinks it would not work. We are just trying to be optimistic but it's hard. Good luck to you  and I will let you know if the cancer shrinks with this chemo. She will know more after her PET scan the 26th.. In the meantime I pray that you will continue to do good.

Querida, Hi,

I am glad you found this thread too . As I was telling Cheechan I  will post and let you know if the Ifofamide and Adriamycin shrinks my sister's tumor. She is having a PET scan next week. What kind of chemo are you taking ? My sister has had 3 reccurences but under the arm on the same side as the mastectomy. Her's has grown really fast but from what I understand they have changed some with each one. I guess that is what you were talking about when you said it changed depending on where it lands even though it is the same area but more regional than local.I will keep you in my prayers and hope it doesn't return. BTW, what size was your tumor? Thanks and good night to you  too.

Hi sibling--how wonderful that your sister has you!

This is all pretty new to me and I have a hard time remembering all the info I've been gathering and sorting it all out.  My tumor was a little under 3 cm but it was not attached to the chest wall or the skin, which they said was really good.  My doc said that if it returns it will probably be bone cancer, so that's what scares me.  My second chemo treatment is Friday 10/30 and am not looking forward to next week.  But am willing (right now, anyway) to suffer this for prevention.  Hope it's worth it.  My husband says anything is worth it, as long as we can have more time together.  He REALLY loves me and I'm so lucky to have him. 

Thanks for responding to me.  I will pray for you and your sister, too.

Querida

Hi , My sister got her PET scan results and it showed that the tumor has not grown   nor spread but looks different so The doctor said she thought the chemo is doing something but too soon to see any significant change. She is getting 2 more rounds then will do another PET scan to look for changes again . In the meantime she has gotten the H1N1 virus and is in the hospital  but still getting chemo.Just wanted to let you all know how that Ifosfimide and Adraimycin was doing. I hope you can get  second oppinion Zuzu. Also Querida, I'm glad you have a good husband. My sister's husband has been very supportive also. Will keep both of you in my thoughts and prayers.Thank you for the prayers Querida.