Terminology

It would normally mean that it has spread to another part of the body i.e. brain, lung etc. in this instance I would assume that it means it has spread to a different part of the breast, as in 2 different tumours, I had one lymph node affected and although my official staging doesn't state any mets, when discussing it or in letters it does state mets to lymph nodes. 

I think they use that term for lymph nodes in axilla but it’s not the same as mets to distant places .. I am the same as you with lymph node affected and I noticed that somewhere it was written that although they use the term it’s not the same at all as distant spread. They should use a different word really  . X 

Ah that makes sense. Must be because of the lymph node involvement. 

Thank you that’s reassuring it’s not just me it’s applied to. I was speaking to someone at the hospital who had same as me and she said they said she had micro met as it was in one lymph node. 

It was the same for me at first. Before all the necessary scans and MRIs were done, I was told I had left breast cancer with spread to the axillary lymph nodes, and it was staged as stage 3, grade 2.

After I had a bone scan, the diagnosis was changed to stage 4 because bone metastases were found.

So involvement of lymph nodes alone is not usually considered distant metastasis unless scans show spread to organs like bone or other

I had a macromet in one out of two sentinels so am also v sensitive an on red alert at what they put down xx 

The paranoia is awful isn’t it xx

Just read your profile Becky, I also have health anxiety so sympathise so much with how you might be feeling about everything xx