Bone Mets / Bone Pain (Questions)

[chicagoetc]

I have a cousin (not directly related but close enough) who was diagnosed with breast cancer (HER2 negative) and treated over 10 years ago. She just recently was diagnosed with bone metastisis (in her hip and a lower part of her spine I think).

Questions (all related to cancer that has metastisized to bones):

1. What does bone pain feel like? [She knows but I don't.]

2. What causes bone pain? [She does not know but would like to know.]

3. She is on Navilbene (with Steroids) and Xeloda. Will this potentially reduce/remove the cancer? Or just stop it from metastesizing elsewhere?

4. What is the prognosis once breast cancer spreads to the bones?

Probably some of you have written about this and have experienced it but I can't seem to find the exact answers to this even with the search function.

Thanks in advance!
Melanie

[Pam P]

I have bone mets & I've had them for over 6 years now. Started out in just one rib & vertebra and now they are in most of the major bones & all vertebra.

1) bone pain - I haven't had much, sometimes feel discomfort almost like a burning or itching and aching. I think I've been lucky pain-wise

2) causes the pain? the cancer destroying the bone

3 navelbine and xeloda - they are both chemotherapys and are systemic. Hopefully they will do all of those things: remove or reduce the existing cancer, stop it from spreading.
4 prognosis - hard to say = once the cancer has metastised it's no longer curable, but it's definitely treatable and there are lots of effective treatments and new ones in trials all the time. There are many people on this site who are surviving long term with bc and mets.
I wish your cousin all the best in her journey.

[chicagoetc]

Thanks Pam...

That was exactly what I was looking for!

Melanie

[tricia keegan]

Pam or anyone, I was wondering if bone mets in her2 cancer grow very fast?? I was just concerned as with my upcoming mri for bone pain, which may take 2-3 weeks to arrange..

[Pam P]

Sorry, Tricia, I have no info about your question. I hope the MRI shows nothing cancer related for you. The waiting is so hard to the answers. I read your post about the claustophia & thought people had very good suggestions. I hope that all goes much easier than you imagined.

[tricia keegan]

Thanks Pam for replying, it was just a question I thought of last night when I saw your reply to Melanie. (sorry for butting in Melanie) and good wishes to you too Pam!

[chicagoetc]

Tricia,

I don't mind you butting in. I seem to do it all the time. I hope your MRI comes back with good news...

Melanie