Question About types of Cancers

LoveBabyJesus
LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
Hi my ladies,

I have a question regarding some words Oncos use during their chats with you. I am confused. Based on your experience, you may be able to help me answer those questions.

1.When they talk to you about your current cancer, and they say “prevent new cancers from happening” – what exactly do they mean? Is it to prevent a new cancer, let’s say in the liver, lungs, etc?
2.If your primary cancer is estrogen dependent, can you develop a “new” cancer based on type as well? Let’s say, going from an estrogen dependent to eventually getting a triple-negative cancer?
3.When you’ve been diagnosed with BC, and people say “it’s back” – but sometimes I hear it’s on someplace else in the body, why is it still called BS if it came back someplace else?
4.Is BC considered cancers that only develop in the breast? Or are they simply cancer cells that decided to make a home in your breast?

Just trying to understand some of these questions I have as I think.

Thank you for your help, and hope you’re ALL doing well.

Love

Comments

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #2
    VERY GOOD questions...I can't wait to see replies
    I"LL be checking back...

    Denise
  • Lynn Smith
    Lynn Smith Member Posts: 1,264 Member
    #3
    disneyfan2008 said:

    VERY GOOD questions...I can't wait to see replies
    I"LL be checking back...

    Denise

    What I was told
    I don't know some of the answers to what you need to know. But can tell you how things were explained to me about my non invasive DCIS diagnosis.Very tiny tumor.

    I was told my cancer is gone.It's not coming back.I am in remission and this type will not spread.BUT doesn't mean I won't get another type of cancer omewhere else but it won't be considered breast cancer. I also was told to take tamoxifin to keep me from getting other types of cancer.I was told my cancer was just on the left side and will not spread to the right side.It would be a different type of cancer if it spread.Not coming from the left breast.I don't do the marker thing either because my oncologist said I didn't need the blood work(since my cancer is GONE)UNLESS I want it.

    Lynn Smith
  • Katmy
    Katmy Member Posts: 93
    #4
    A cancer starts from a
    A cancer starts from a specific cell in a specific organ. When it breaks free from its organ and travels through the body, it is still genetically the same cell of origin. So, yes, breast cancer cells can be found in the lymph nodes, liver, and bones. It is the typical path of travel when they leave the breast. Essentially, the cell has broken free and set up home elsewhere in the body.
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #5
    The way I understand it is
    The way I understand it is that if the original cancer was breast, no matter where it spreads, it is still breast cancer.

    You can also develop a different breast cancer for example in another breast or even in the same one. They find this out when testing once it's removed.
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #6
    Lighthouse_7 said:

    The way I understand it is
    The way I understand it is that if the original cancer was breast, no matter where it spreads, it is still breast cancer.

    You can also develop a different breast cancer for example in another breast or even in the same one. They find this out when testing once it's removed.

    good explanations....
    Thanks for input! IN my 3 yrs of BC I have never heard the words from any of my doctors: survivior, NED, cancer free, remission etc..

    ALL I am told each visit is all you blood & lab reports look good...is this UNCOMMON...??

    Truely until I came to this site I never thought of myslef as a "survivor"! The reason I even checked this site is my friend had Melanoma on her leg...right after her surgery (and it was not a pleasant , easy surgery) she said I am a cancer survior!

    Anyhow...thanks for info..

    Denise (Monday 3 yrs since my BC surgery!!) April 3-2008
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #7
    Hope this helps!
    1) Most docs are talking about your current cancer spreading (metastasizing) to a distant site: most commonly bones, liver, brain, and lungs.
    2) It is possible to have your current cancer change over time. That is why, if it has been any length of time since your initial diagnosis and your cancer spreads, most doctor will try and get another biopsy.
    Here is an excellent link:
    Biopsy to Confirm Recurrence
    3) If breast cancer comes back in, for example, the lungs, it behaves very differently from lung cancer (usually much less aggressive in the lungs), so it is called breast cancer that has mets to the lungs. For example, my lung scans are not normal and a pulmonologist said that I may well have a small amount of breast cancer there. However, it is not causing symptoms and has been virtually unchanged for 6 years now on all scans and Xrays. Lung cancer would not behave that way, but breast cancer in the lungs might.
    4) Breast cancers are cancers that are specific to the breast and, as I said before, they usually behave in a unique way--different from cancers arising in other places.
    Another great link:
    Metastatic Cancer Questions and Answers (from NIH)
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #8
    As I understand it -
    one Breast Cancer type does not equate to another Breast Cancer type. The developement and prognosis is different with the different types. Some are much slower growing and one can litterally be unknown one day and large the next day (not usually quite that fast but definately within days/weeks.

    1) Dr T. never used the term "prevent new cancers from happening". If I remember his words correctly - "We are going to try to shrink it, get clean margins and then cut it out. Keep it from spreading and if it has already taking care of it in the other places. There is no cure but management.". Remember tht I am IBC - the most aggressive type and it is very prone to mets even when you catch it within days. It is seldom/if ever DX before it is at least Stage III and often IV. For me at that time there was no way that Dr G (surgeon) could have gotten sll of 'it' out via surgery without neo-adjunt Chemo first.

    2) My understanding is that you can get other primary cancers (in some cases) that are not BC related. If the new cancer sites are BC related (mets) then they are BC no matter where they are. When lymph nodes were involved then mets are more 'likely'.

    3) If the new cancer (metastisis) are from the original primary BC then they are BC.

    4) Breast cancer are particular cancers. Some are genetic - some aren't.

    Honestly I haven't done as much research as I might should have done on other types of BC than my own. hope I've made sense and I certainly am not an expert but this is my understndings.

    Susan
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #9
    CypressCynthia said:

    Hope this helps!
    1) Most docs are talking about your current cancer spreading (metastasizing) to a distant site: most commonly bones, liver, brain, and lungs.
    2) It is possible to have your current cancer change over time. That is why, if it has been any length of time since your initial diagnosis and your cancer spreads, most doctor will try and get another biopsy.
    Here is an excellent link:
    Biopsy to Confirm Recurrence
    3) If breast cancer comes back in, for example, the lungs, it behaves very differently from lung cancer (usually much less aggressive in the lungs), so it is called breast cancer that has mets to the lungs. For example, my lung scans are not normal and a pulmonologist said that I may well have a small amount of breast cancer there. However, it is not causing symptoms and has been virtually unchanged for 6 years now on all scans and Xrays. Lung cancer would not behave that way, but breast cancer in the lungs might.
    4) Breast cancers are cancers that are specific to the breast and, as I said before, they usually behave in a unique way--different from cancers arising in other places.
    Another great link:
    Metastatic Cancer Questions and Answers (from NIH)

    P.S.
    It is entirely possible to have more than one type of cancer. For example, you could have breast and colon cancer occurring, each a primary cancer.

    And anyone who has had one type of cancer is usually at somewhat increased risk of having another cancer. For example, breast cancer patients are at increased risk of melanoma.

    But most oncologists that are treating breast cancer are referring to the chance of metastasis unless otherwise stated.
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #10
    disneyfan2008 said:

    good explanations....
    Thanks for input! IN my 3 yrs of BC I have never heard the words from any of my doctors: survivior, NED, cancer free, remission etc..

    ALL I am told each visit is all you blood & lab reports look good...is this UNCOMMON...??

    Truely until I came to this site I never thought of myslef as a "survivor"! The reason I even checked this site is my friend had Melanoma on her leg...right after her surgery (and it was not a pleasant , easy surgery) she said I am a cancer survior!

    Anyhow...thanks for info..

    Denise (Monday 3 yrs since my BC surgery!!) April 3-2008

    Great question and great
    Great question and great answers! Thank you!


    Jan

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