Stage 4 and now also Stage 3 - how to navigate this new hell
Hi, I've been living with stage 4 (de nova) since August 2012. It's been a long road with many challenges. Over the past year my weight has dropped, fatigue increased, my markers have been rising (135) and I've struggled to take Kisqali (nausea and vomiting). My oncologist is a nice man and said all was well until last May when he told me a second tumor was growing in my breast and I'd need a lumpectomy. He said a mastectomy wouldn't increase my overall chances of survival. He hoped that the cancer would be contained in my breast and the lumpectomy would remove the tumor and I'd need some radiotherapy and that would solve the problem. It's 3 weeks after surgery and the surgeon told me today that the lump is stage 3, that he didn't get clear margins and he'd arrange appt with radiologist. I was so stupid I never asked what stage 3 meant and I didn't know that it was graded. I'm in shock. I don't know how far it has spread or where. I never knew you could get a new cancer growing in your breast where you already had stage 4 and that it could independently spread. It obviously isn't responding to the drugs I'm on so I guess I'll have to have a second set of drugs to combat it. Is anyone else in this position or heard of it happening to someone else? Really I'm terrified of what this means. Any advice please.
Mods., do you know anything? I'm off to bed now, it's half past midnight here. xx
Comments
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Hi @aoibheann, we’re really sorry you’re facing such a frightening and unexpected turn after living with Stage 4.
One thing that may help when you speak with your team is asking where the cancer is currently located, whether any further testing or scans are needed, and what the plan is for the unclear margins. It may also help to ask whether this tumor is considered a local recurrence or a separate primary breast cancer. Also, Saliendo!tage and grade are also two different things, so it may be worth asking them to explain both clearly. For now, these articles from our main site may help you understand a bit more:
We hope members who have had a tumor develop in the breast while living with metastatic breast cancer will share their experiences with you. Please let us know what you find out when you’re able. We're thinking of you!
The Mods
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