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Stage 4 Breast Cancer - spread to lungs and breast bone

Flowers51
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Hi, I’m 51 and  just been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer which has spread to my lungs and 1 nodule on my breast bone. Am in a world of turmoil, can’t eat, can’t sleep, can’t get my mind to stop being so negative because of the bad news I keep receiving. I had a mammogram last June which came back clear, then in November I went to the GP as found a lump in my right breast. Was diagnosed there by a nurse practitioner and they said it was fibroadenoma and not sent to the breast clinic. Told to keep an eye on it but it was a benign lump.  Went to a new surgery 3 weeks ago for the same issue as noticed the lump had grown and some changes in shape to my breast and was diverted straight to the breast clinic. Last week diagnosed with  stage 1, grade 2 surgery and chemo, then this week diagnose with secondary breast cancer, stage 4 treatable but not curable. I’m in denial this is happening to me, I have no symptoms whatsoever and feel well in myself.

I’m not ready to die, I have a great life and a wonderful family to be with who need me. Sick of being the receiver of bad news with what feels like I'm staring in the face of my own mortality. It is a truly awful place to be right now. I have a bone scan and MRI scan next week and praying no further spread. Would be nice to chat with anyone with the same diagnosis who is going through it or come out the other side following treatment.

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    Hi Flower51,  I am 59 and had stage 3 breast cancer 12 years ago.  I had chemo, radiotherapy and medication.  Went to doctor this year with backache.  I have now been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer which has spread to spine and pelvis.  I am going for a bone biopsy on Monday.  It is horrible to hear this news and I know how you feel.  I dont feel ready to die yet either my husband and I had plans for next year with moving overseas now I dont know what is going to happen.  The waiting to hear about treatment etc is awful.  Hope you are okay x

  • Offline in reply to leelaloo

    I have just been diagnosed stage 4  mets to lung, liver and vertebrae.

    On letrozole with chemo to follow, but also looking at RF ablation and any alternatives 

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    Hi Flowers51,

    A very warm welcome to the forum.

    I am so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. There seems to have been a number of changes to your diagnosis in a very short space of time - this must have come as a terrible shock to you. I am delighted to hear that you feel well in yourself.

    Life never seems fair, when you receive news like this. Thinking of your own mortality is normal in such cases, but it doesn't all have to be doom and gloom any longer. I lost my mum to secondary breast cancer, which had spread to her brain, bones, liver and lungs. That was 27 years ago and not much could be done for her then. Fortunately, diagnosis, treatment and after care have come a long way since then. I have now had 2 bouts of primary breast cancer and there was just no comparison in how we were both treated. I am still here 15 years on and I still lead a busy and fulfilling life.

    Don't look too far ahead. Take each day as it comes and deal in the here and now. Make the most of your time with your wonderful family, treasure each day and make as many memories for them as you can. We all live with the possibility that we could walk across the road any day and get killed, but we seldom worry about that as a probability; yet, with a cancer diagnosis, we immediately expect the worst. None of us know how long we are likely to have. Instead of continually worrying about it, make the most of each new day and live life to the full. Many people survive for a number of years with a stage 4 diagnosis, which is treatable but not curable - it's a case of deciding whether you live with cancer or cancer lives with you.

    Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on with your bone scan and MRI. We are always here for you.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

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