Is it back?

Hi Lost5678  I am sorry your CT scan showed lesions in your liver that might be secondary breast cancer. I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in my liver in 2022 following a CT scan done for other reasons. It was dropped on me as an “oh and by the way” by a somewhat flustered oncology registrar over the phone. Initially I thought it was the end. I had an ablation that didn’t work. I then had treatment that significantly reduced the tumours followed by another ablation. I have been in remission ever since. Fear gradually turned to hope. If it’s cancer you will be told it’s incurable but it’s very likely to be treatable. Many people live long lives with secondary breast cancer and I hope you do too. 

Thank you.  How did you cope with your diagnosis. I am terrified and don't know what to do if the cancer has metastasised. 

I think after the initial shock, I took control of it by making sure practical matters were sorted in case it overwhelmed me quickly. I reviewed my will and brought it up to date. I put lasting power of attorney in place for both medical and financial matters. I made sure my husband knew where everything was. I took our son through how our inheritance planning was set up and made sure he also knew where to find things. 

Then I got on with treatment. After a few months I had a very serious immunotherapy related ‘adverse event’ and it looked as if all my planning might be urgently needed. Family descended to see me. Hospital treated me with high dose steroids and I pulled through. Meanwhile the immunotherapy had more or less destroyed the cancer in my liver. I had an ablation. It took 9 months to reduce and eventually stop the steroids and another 9 months to get over the effects of them, but here I am!  If you click on my name, at the bottom of my bio there’s a link to the blog I wrote as I went through it all.