Cancer of unknown Primary or Occult Breast Cancer...HELP

I had a Breast clinic appointment today where I thought I was getting a treatment plan for my Breast Cancer...but all I got was a date for more tests...so confused right now...apparently the original Biopsy that came back as Breast Cancer has now been labelled as 'probably Breast Cancer' and is actually an Axillary Lymph node with a 45mm metastatic tumour...and now my Breast MRI only shows 2 nodules that need biopsies...one is 10mm and one is 11mm...one in each Breast...so now instead of a plan and some answers I have  more questions and more waiting...I now either have Breast Cancer in both Breasts or I have Occult Breast Cancer or Cancer of unknown Primary...so confused right now ;( Has anyone else been in this situation? It's been 4 weeks since I was originally told I had Cancer...I just wanted to have a treatment plan :(

  • Hi KitKat,

    Arrrrrrgh the not knowing, I feel for you :|  Time seems to go so slow when we're waiting for answers.

    I'm not in the same situation as you but just wanted to empathise with the more questions than answers bit.  I am in the same boat in that it's been 4 weeks since I first found out I had breast cancer, but within that time it's moved up a stage and there's a chance now that the breast cancer is actually secondary, or that I've had it so long it has already spread to my brain (find out next week if there's a brain tumour too).

    The good thing is, I guess, that in cancer terms 4 weeks isn't that long, even though it feels like forever to us :D  Ultimately the most important thing is that they get the diagnosis rightand, therefore, the treatment as effective as possible.

    But yeah, I feel for you :|  Hang in there!  My cousin was diagnosed last year with Hodgkin's lymphoma yet it was 8 weeks before any treatment started.  She's clear and well and enjoying life.

    Thinking of you!

    LJx

  • Oh my goodness...how awful for you...are you having any Brain symptoms? 

    I've been today and had another Mammogram and an ultrasound and another Biopsy and the Consultant thinks he has all of the information they need now so hopefully he'll be able to give me a plan a week today...I'm sore now but I'll be glad to get started. It's the longest 4 weeks I've ever had.

    Got everything crossed for you next week.

    Xxxx

  • It's hard to know.  I've had hemiplegic migraines for 15 years but have generally got on top of them (nipping them in the bud with meds).  However, I had a pretty much constant migraine for 3 months at the end of 2016 so they referred me for an MRI which showed a lesion on my pons (part of the brainstem that controls all our autonomic functions like breathing etc.)  It was tiny and nothing to worry about, cancer wasn't in the mix back then so it was assumed to be damage from the migraines. They're taking another look at it now obviously.

    Glad it sounds like they have all the info they need for you now, that should allow treatment to start pretty soon I would think, so hopefully your wait will be over soon.  Looks like your appointment is the day after my first chemo, shout back and let me know how you go!

    In the meantime take care of yourself, enjoy yourself as much as possible, and do all teh things that you need to do that chemo might get in the way of (well that's what I'm doing anyway, need to see if the aero club can fit me in for a flying lesson I was gifted before I start chemo!)

    Take care,

    LJx