Ok, I'm sure I should know this but what are Mets & micromets?
 

I see them on your posts all the time. I'm assuming it's a cancer cell but then sometimes I read people talking about them in regards to lymph node path reports. Again, I think they are refering to cancer cells but then when they say a micro met was found in a node I get confused.

Since I'm getting closer to surgery and lymph node dissection/ biopsy (one week prior to surgery) I think I'm starting to really think I have no idea what I'm reading half the time. I relied on my medical team for chemo since there really were no options there but now I'm realizing I need to be more informed going forward.

Thx- Eva

Re: Ok, I'm sure I should know this but what are Mets & micromets?
 

My understanding is that micro mets means just a small / minuscule ( micro) # of cancer cells have been found else where in the body ( metastisis ) this could be just in the lymph nodes alone or elsewhere .

Re: Ok, I'm sure I should know this but what are Mets & micromets?
 

I think Nurse4u2day has it right.

Keep in mind there's a difference between "metastasis" and "stage IV." Metastasis is cancer cells traveling beyond the original tumor. Micromets are tiny clumps of cancer cells found outside the original site. The first place they usually go is the lymph nodes.

I read somewhere that in postmortem exams, it's very common to see evidence of tiny little cancers. It's really not surprising that we get cancer. The surprising thing is that we don't all have it, and die from it. Living bodies are amazing.