Symptoms of Mets

[CLTann]

Most of us with an initial diagnosis of breast cancer worry about mets. Every pain or discomfort is suspected to be a bad omen. I thought it would be useful for those who had gone through the problem, some indeed had conquored the mets, to describe what could be real or imaginary that each type of mets actually showed up at the beginning at its symptoms.

Of course, the areas we worry about are: bone, liver, lung, the other breast and brain. For example, what type of pain does bone mets exhibit? Does liver mets come with jaudiced yellow face? Does brain mets give sharp or dull pain spots or loss of memory? etc., etc. For those who had never gone into them, the pressure of not knowing is enormous.

Your postings are greatly appreciated. I of course am more than aware certain signs could be false positive, and medical searches do give some vague descriptions. Overall, the information could be quite useful.

Ann

For myself, the liver mets were detected by a CT scan and elevated liver panel blood tests. I had no 'symptoms'. The largest met was 4.6cm.

I also had no pain for bone mets, again the scan and elevated blood tests detected them. Recently began having 'poofs' in my head (not headache, just not right) in the same areas of the brain. CT scan again showed areas of 'concern'.

I recommend that if you 'don't feel right' get it checked out! Insist on regular scans as these can detect things not yet 'felt' or cause you pain.
It is when the disease is advanced in the liver that your skin and eyes will take on a yellow cast - indicating severe liver disfunction. As mets grow in the brain, pressure increases and so does the headache pain.

I am currently on a steroid to control any swelling in the brain as we decide the next course of action - as it appears the herceptin/taxotere combo has not worked to keep the mets to my liver in check. Since herceptin nor taxotere pass the blood brain barrier...mets to the brain could occur at any time OR there were cancer cells already there, just waiting to do their nasty deed (grow).

[Sherryg683]

I had 2 small lung mets and had no symptoms at all, were found with original diagnosis on a CT/PET...am presently NED..sherryg683

[tousled1]

Ann,

We are all fearful that our cancer will metastisize (spelling?). Just don't let the fear consume you so that it interferes with your everyday life. My philosophy is that if I have a symptom for at least 2 weeks then I see my oncologist and discuss it. It she just dismisses it then I push to get a test done depending upon what symptom I'm experiencing. It's always better to have peace of mind.

[JREPO]

I am new to this site. What are mets that you speak of?

[StephN]

I am one who has experienced "mets" or new tumors arriving after the initial treatments. Also referred to as "distant metastases" since they are away from the site of the original cancer.

My liver was being quickly invaded by fast-growing new tumors, but I was not to the point of being jaundiced. I had a 3-month followup scheduled which included a chest x-ray and tumor markers. The chest x-ray was fine, but my tumor marker was elevated from the previous ones 3 months earlier. I was just starting to feel a little ache in my right side. This turned out to be from the liver expanding inside the capsule. I only felt a little discomfort from the chemos working on those tumors.

Some of us here have reported more severe pain in the ribs or shoulder blade with liver mets. Maybe they will chime in.

Bone mets can be bothersome or not. In my case they were not large enough to notice, and I have a friend who actually had her arm break after walking her dog, from an undetected tumor. She did have some pain, but thought she had bumped it or something like that.

My brain mets gave me NO symptoms whatsoever. And one tumor was about one inch in diameter. No balance problems or any other normal symptom that might be expected.
So, for me, the scans and bloodwork have worked, as the symptoms and pain were practically non-existent. In each instance I seemed so "normal" that it was a shock to people who know me that the cancer was back.

IT IS SNEAKY. That is what you must remember.

[JREPO]

I am new to the group so I am not familiar with some of these shortcut words.
Thank you for explaining it to me.

[Patty H]

My mets were also found through follow up scans. But once I knew I had bone mets, I did have back pain that wouldn't go away, thus bone mets in my spine that I had radiation on and took care of the pain. My latest scans shows mets in my hips, but the scan found them before I felt any pain. The pain seems to be after. Maybe because I am more aware once I know they are there. Patty H

[JREPO]

thank you for your reply