Stage 4 breast cancer with only a lump as a symptom?!
Question: Stage 4 breast cancer with only a lump as a symptom!?
My mom is 60 years, in good health!. A week ago during a self-examination, she felt a lump a size of a lima bean in her breast!. She does self-exams each month, but does not get mammograms (which I KNOW she should be)!. She immediately made an appt!. for a mammogram/biopsy etc!. The waiting is really difficult, and I'm trying to look online about stage 4 cancer!. If a person's only symptom is a smallish, non-painful lump, is it possible to have stage 4!? Or would you have other symptoms by that point!? Thank you!Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
The size of a "lima bean" is not bad for picking up a primary breast cancer if this turns out to be a malignancy of the breast!. It is much more likely to be stage I or II - highly curable - - IF it is cancer!.
People often do not realize that most cancers - breast and others - have been present for years before they are large enough to show up on scans or x-ray studies - - or cause symptoms!. Cancers begin as microscopic disease!. It takes years for most to become large enough to detect by any test!.
Even though women who find small breast cancers by themselves or by screening mammograms have already had the disease developing for several years - the majority of early stage breast cancers are being cured these days - - without mastectomy!. Usually it is lumpectomy and radiation therapy often with adjuvant (preventive) systemic therapy in the form of hormonal agents and/or chemotherapy to provide the best chance of cure!. The treatment will depend on the staging and a number of other factors too complex to write here!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
People often do not realize that most cancers - breast and others - have been present for years before they are large enough to show up on scans or x-ray studies - - or cause symptoms!. Cancers begin as microscopic disease!. It takes years for most to become large enough to detect by any test!.
Even though women who find small breast cancers by themselves or by screening mammograms have already had the disease developing for several years - the majority of early stage breast cancers are being cured these days - - without mastectomy!. Usually it is lumpectomy and radiation therapy often with adjuvant (preventive) systemic therapy in the form of hormonal agents and/or chemotherapy to provide the best chance of cure!. The treatment will depend on the staging and a number of other factors too complex to write here!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Why do you think it is Stag IV!? If your mom just discovered the lump, it may only a lower stage!. Stage IV means it has spread to the bones, and other organs!.
I can understand the waiting for results!. I think this was the worst part for me!. Having a sister who had had breast cancer and my dad had colon cancer years ago, when I got the news that my tumor was malignant, I think the news was a little easier to handle!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I can understand the waiting for results!. I think this was the worst part for me!. Having a sister who had had breast cancer and my dad had colon cancer years ago, when I got the news that my tumor was malignant, I think the news was a little easier to handle!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I think you need to relax since all lumps in the breast are not all cancer!.
I highly doubt it is stage 4 if it is at all cancerous!. Www@Answer-Health@Com
I highly doubt it is stage 4 if it is at all cancerous!. Www@Answer-Health@Com
Lima bean is exactly the size of most cancers found by women doing BSEs!. Regular mammograms pick up tumors more like the size of a pea!. (Why are we using vegetable analogies!? !.!.!.)
Whether it has spread depends very much on the pathology of the tumor!. The "grade" will be determined by the pathologist examining the biopsy tissue!. A high grade is fast growing, and fast growing is often fast moving!. While this is scary, high grade cancers are often extremely responsive to chemo, and that is a very important factor in the prognosis!.
Still, try not to imagine the worst until all the diagnostic tests are performed!. I was sure my walnut sized tumor had thrown cancer off into the rest of my body, but the PET scan was clean except for axillary node involvement!. And chemo completely obliterated both tumors!.
Try to remain optimistic!. There are many treatments for breast cancer, and many are extremely effective!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Whether it has spread depends very much on the pathology of the tumor!. The "grade" will be determined by the pathologist examining the biopsy tissue!. A high grade is fast growing, and fast growing is often fast moving!. While this is scary, high grade cancers are often extremely responsive to chemo, and that is a very important factor in the prognosis!.
Still, try not to imagine the worst until all the diagnostic tests are performed!. I was sure my walnut sized tumor had thrown cancer off into the rest of my body, but the PET scan was clean except for axillary node involvement!. And chemo completely obliterated both tumors!.
Try to remain optimistic!. There are many treatments for breast cancer, and many are extremely effective!.Www@Answer-Health@Com