Is it true that...

[Ceesun]

If you have mets, stage 4, that you will get brain mets 2 years later? I had trouble sleeping last night brooding over this? Ceesun

[Sheila]

Ceesun
Well if its any indication, I am 4 1/2 years out as stage IV and no brain mets yet...everyone is different...that is why it is so important to get the annual brain MRI!!!!

[Jackie07]

And I had had brain tumor 13 years before getting breast cancer.

[Believe51]

Everyone is different and there is no order to cancer. Cancer has no schedule, no prejustices. Ex: Ed was diagnosed stage IV and it was not even a year until brain mets. Then look at Sheila & Jackie's examples. Try not to lose anymore sleep Sweetie and believe me I know this is a hard feat to accomplish. Some people never ever get brain mets. The hardest things we have faced on this journey is the ability to worry only about the 'What Is' and spend little time worrying about the 'What If's'. Sometimes the 'What If's' never happen and Ed and I would hate to waste time worrying about things that may never be when we could be enjoying some normalcy. That is the best advice that I could give you and again it is just as hard as trying to fight the cancer itself!! Best wishes for some quality sleep. Lots of Love Coming At 'ya>>Believe51

[Bill]

Sweetie, like the sisters have said, there's no rule that cancer follows, but it's unlikely that your cancer has a plan to move into your brain 2 years after initially being dxed. I'm not trying to downplay your worry, our journeys are full of worries, but like a good friend once told me, "Bill, don't borrow trouble". Actually, if that does happen, it's my understanding that most brain mets are more easily treated and eliminated with radiation treatments than other types of mets. My thoughts and prayers are for you, Bill

[Colleen007]

I am 2.5 years out since my stage 4 diagnosis...and no brain mets. Yearly brain scan in January was clear, so I won't worry about it again until next year.

[hutchibk]

My doc told me not to worry myself about brain mets after my first recurrence (and being deemed 'stage 4') because it is still fairly uncommon. But then our annual MRI last spring showed 3 tiny ones with no symptoms... and I have been able to obliterate them very successfully with my Tykerb/Xeloda treatments. I make this point NOT to add to your fear of brain mets, but to help illustrate and put a finer point on what everyone else has said, that cancer does not follow a roadmap or a set schedule. It can happen to anyone, fairly randomly, and it can NOT happen to someone, also fairly randomly. You just have to figure out for yourself how to "not live in the wreckage of the future" - it is all so totally unpredictable. And whatever we face in this journey as far as mets, etc... there is someone in research working feverishly to develop something to combat it. We are very lucky women in so many ways. There is so much in the pipeline right now and alot of treatments and developments are right around the corner...