Meta plastic breast cancer

That was my daughter's diagnosis 20 months ago,  Penguin80. I'm sorry you find yourself in the same place. It's been a tough road but she's getting there. 8 chemo cycles were followed with surgery, 15 days of radiotherapy then a further 14 chemos. She has two left to go now.  It's been brutal and there have been very low times - but she has managed to continue to work most of the time and we've managed to do  some very nice things and treat ourselves on days she's feeling really well.

You'll get through this. Take it a day at a time. Don't think about 'what if's?' for the future, just concentrate on today. I hope you have family and friends to support you - accept any offers of help. Sending you love, strength and a big hug. xx

• Thank you for your message Cherry 2. I’m sorry to hear your daughter is going through the same thing as me. It does reassure me to hear that despite it being grueling she managed with the chemo to continue to work. I work with children as a nanny so do want to try to continue. 
  
  
• i have a supportive family and live with my mum although she is 80 so while fit she is finding it all hard. She had Breast cancer over 20 years ago so that gives me hope as well.
• was your daughter’s metaplastic localised? Mine so far seems to be although I’m having some blood tests tomorrow as ive been getting leg cramps which the doctors think is just restless leg syndrome but they just want to be overly sire 
• I haven’t got my next appointment till the 10 th January as I’ve changed hospitals as Kingston was so far away for me so im moving to charring cross. 
• besr wishes to your daughter and family, I hope she continues to make good progress 
• lydia xx

Hi penguin80,

I just wanted to reach out and hi, I was diagnosed with Metaplastic breast cancer last August, as it is a rare cancer there are very few of us about. I read your profile and I see that you had a consultation on the 10th. I hope that went well for you and that your cancer is localised.

They staged my cancer as stage 3 grade 3, at first they told me it was a complex cyst, then eventually said it was Metaplastic cancer, then after so many more tests and so much more wasted time the largest lump grew to 10cms, it grew so quickly and it became very painful, there were 3 other smaller ones, one of which was in my other breast, then they said it wasn’t localised any more! eventually they transferred me to the Royal Marsden and they operated and now I feel so much more relaxed just knowing all the cancer has gone.
I am now almost half way through chemo. Yes it’s hard but you just kinda get through it day by day and it does get easier. 

Allie xx 

Hi Allie,

thank you for your message and I’m so sorry to hear you have metaplastic breast cancer too. I met with the breast surgeon on Thursday and the lump is already measuring over 12 cm. They sent me for an MRI ct and PET scan which I had over the last few days. They did another ultrasound and mri as well and from what they could see it isn’t in my lymph nodes but we will have to wait for all the scans to come back

I wikl meet with the oncologist on Tuesday From what I’ve been told, I will have 12 weeks of weekly chemo Followed by a two different chemos Every three weeks. And if it doesn’t respond, they will take it out. 
I’m having treatment at Charing Cross, if you would like someone to support you maybe we could meet at Maggie’s at Charing Cross one day, we can fight this together? 

good luck and best wishes

Lydia xx 

Hi Lydia,  I'm glad your treatment is moving forwards. Like Allie, my daughter was initially told by a local hospital that it was 'just a cyst'. They drained it but it refilled within 24 hours. They drained it four more times, still saying it was a complex cyst, before deciding to take biopsies. It was 10cm by the time she was eventually transferred to Guy's. This all took three months. Treatment was excellent once she got to Guy's but the tumour then actually broke through the skin and she had to dress it daily throughout the pre-surgery chemos. She was desperate to have the surgery but chemo first seems to be the way they treat metaplastic cancer - and her tumour had shrunk to 2cm by the time she had the op. They had at first said she would need a mastectomy, but when it shrunk so much she was able to have 'conservation surgery' - a lumpectomy. Lymph nodes were clear.

Good luck and very best wishes xxx

Daughter was worried about losing her hair but she coped well. She wasn't keen on her wig (hated wearing it!) but got on very well with a range of chemo headwear - Etsy is great! I'm glad the cancer hasn't spread and you will get through this. Sending love and strength. xxx