I have just discovered that what was supposed to be a benign cyst is in fact a MBC with ER 8 and PR6 and -HER. I am dismayed that the survival rates seem to be so poor for skin mets. Are there any hopeful statistics out there that can cheer me up? I am awaiting the scan and results to see if its gone anywhere else. I am 74 and am in vgh. I have been 7 years cancer free from lumpectomy.
Hi LizzyT,
My name is Keith and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
Welcome to the online community helpful.
On this platform as we are a charitable organisation, we don’t have access to your medical information. For this reason, we have limited information re your clinical history.
We are sorry to hear about the confusion regarding your recent diagnosis changing from a benign cyst to a metastatic breast cancer which is hormone dependant and not HER2 positive.
We hope in the light of the above information you have had a conversation with your treatment team so that you have an explanation for the change in your diagnosis and how this came about.
Everyone can be affected in so many ways regarding a cancer diagnosis as well as its treatments.
Unfortunately, cancer can return and with the possibility of it being in possible multiple locations can be more difficult to treat.
In some situations, it may be possible to cure a secondary cancer. However, secondary cancers are not usually curable, and the aim of treatment is to control the cancer and manage any symptoms. Everyone is different and your recent diagnosis may respond to treatment in so many different ways.
The treatment you may be offered will depend on, where it has spread to and what treatment you have had before. Your cancer doctor or specialist nurse would be best placed to discuss your options and concerns further. This is because they would have the greatest understanding or your medical history both past and present.
Its natural to want an idea of what to expect and possible outcomes including statistical evidence may help in understanding possible outcomes.
However, we would always advise discussing this situation in more detail with your treatment team, who would consider your current situation and try to give you an indication of possible outcomes for your unique set of circumstances. They may very well quote and explain their line of thought using percentage-based assumptions of possible outcomes for example.
Cancer Research UK does publish statistical evidence on breast cancers in general which may be helpful to look at but there would be no way of pigeonholing you into this statistical evidence. Hence our reasoning for referring you to your treatment team to discuss this situation further.
On this platform it can be difficult to have a two-way conversation and to fully understand what you are going through.
If you’d like further explanation or have any other questions, please feel free to recontact us. Or if you it may help to discuss things with someone outside the loop please feel free to give us a call or contact us via our web chat platform.
take care.
Keith, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.
Ref KM/FP
