Ovarian cancer spreading to the breast

[Moyraelan]

Hi All

I'm looking for information on ovarian cancer spreading to the breast. I have been diagnosed with ovarian secondaries in mt breast and would be thankful for any information, and treatment or to connect with anyone in the same situation.

[citrine]

Sorry I haven;t got any helpful information. I just want to send you best wishes for the future.

Thinking of you

Love Mary xxx

[Moyraelan in reply to citrine]

Thank you Mary for your good wishes. There is very little information on this spread, it's quite rare . Seeing onc next week hopefully she will be able to help. I will keep you informed of the outcome.

Love Carmel

[charlie12]

Hi Moyer

Sorry but I do not have any personal experience of this. I just might have been though as I had a biopsy for a suspicious bit seen during my first mammogram. It was just fat though.

I just want to say welcome and that you are amongst friends here.

Just an idea , your CNS ( hopefully you have one ) may be able to put you in touch with another lady with the same diagnosis.

Love and hugs

Charlie xxx

[Moyraelan in reply to charlie12]

Charlie

Thank you for your welcome. I'm delighted your biopsy was negative. My results showed that I have ovca in the breast and I'm finding it very difficult to get any information on. ovarian to breast secondaries. I will continue to research and talk to onc next week. Best wishes

Carmel

[charlie12]

Hi Carmel

The specialist nurse on this site Ruth is wonderfully knowledgeable an supportive. You can speak to her on weekdays ....contact details are on this site.

PM me if you want a chat and if that would help in any way....we had all been down this road so you are amongst friends.

Charlie xxxx

[Moyraelan in reply to charlie12]

Thank you Charlie. I live in Ireland and unsure if Ruth extends her support to other countries. I have had a few replies from women in the same situation but as its rare the treatment is different for everyone.

[ChrisH]

Hello, sorry to hear your bad news. I know of people that have had oc after breast cancer, and vice versa, but I don't know whether they are the same cancers or the two different types. I had genetic testing to see if I had a risk of breast cancer brought the brca gene mutation (luckily I don't have it) as there was a possible link in the family.

I hope you get answers when you see the onc

Chris xxxx

[Moyraelan in reply to ChrisH]

Dear Chris

Thank you for your reply. Saw my oncologist on Wednesday, she has recommended that I have a few treatments of radium followed by chemo. I have a repeat ct scan next week. My ca125 has doubled. Treating ovarian secondaries that has spread to the breast or any other site is the same as treating ovca anyplace. She has made no decision on chemo regime.

Carmel

[Whippit]

Dear Carmen

MargaretJ has had breast cancer diagnosed as well as ovarian cancer but I'm not sure whether it's metastases or a separate cancer. My sister developed 3 different cancers during the course of her life and has survived each one of them.

I wonder whether they will test you to see if there's a genetic link to the BRAC gene. It this is relevant to you it can be good news as treatment can be very effective for this type of ovarian cancer.

I'm really sorry you're having to go through this in addition to ovarian cancer. It must be so tough. I hope the companionship on shared knowledge of this site helps you. Please keep posting blogs and questions as we'd love to get to know you more.

Love Annie xxx

[Moyraelan in reply to Whippit]

Dear Annie.

Thank you for your reply. I'm always reading and watching for your interesting comments and information. If you read my reply to Chris You will see that I have been to the onc and next treatment. I'm waiting for the radium, maybe next week and chemo to follow. Unfortunately ovca can turn up anyplace but its rare in the breast.

Carmel

[Hidden]

Hi Carmel

Sorry I haven't anything particularly useful to contribute, but wanted to say hello and welcome. Glad you found the site, and we will all offer all the moral support we can; am sorry you have this now to cope with

Love

Sue xxx

[Moyraelan in reply to Hidden]

Dear Sue

Thank you for your welcome and support. It's lovely to meet so many kind women many whom are struggling in different ways but are upbeat and always so supportive of other people.

Thanks Sue xxxx

[Hidden]

Hi there... as far as I know, there can be spread to the breast but it's unusual. Like others have said, they could be linked, but they may just be different diseases and not linked to BRCA1/2 mutations. Since diagnosis, I've been sent the regular breast screening appointments but haven't gone because I felt I'd had so many scans because of the illness that I didn't want to go through any more. When I was first diagnosed, my doctor said that I was to have chemo intravenously rather than straight into the abdomen because they can never be sure where it is in the body but that the chemo targets the mutating cells wherever they are. He was basically telling me that it wasn't a good idea to just target one area and that I shouldn't research other options. I could see what he meant because mine is widespread throughout the abdomen and the marks on my lung which were thought to be benign have grown so are assumed to be the disease too. This disease is rubbish but I've found that wherever it is, there are people here who have helped me through. I just wanted to send you a big wave, hug and everything else. If I don't reply again, it's because I'm away on holiday at the moment and the signal is very weak for most of the time. x x

[Moyraelan in reply to Hidden]

Hi Tina

Thank you for your kind words and support. Have a great holiday.

Hope we hear from you on return.

Carmel

[Anjen]

Hi Moyraelan,

Apologies for the dealy. I just came across this post when I was searching the site for other info. I have stage 4 OVCA with metastases to the left Breast at the time of diagnosis. You can see the details in my profile. I am having second line chemo as the surgery and first line chemo didn't get rid of it all. I got two lesions in my left breast now and I am not sure if it is in the breast tissue or in my rib. I have to ask the Oncologist again for explanation. Please e mail me if you require any more info. I was also told that it is very rare and I took a second opinion to check if it is the same as OVCA or separate breast cancer and the conclusion was that it was related to OVCA. I tried to get genetic testing done for BRCA mutation, but I have been told that I am not eligible to have it done as there is no family history. My mother is 90 and is quite ok and none of my family members have cancer so far, apart from me.

Love from Lakshmy

[Moyraelan in reply to Anjen]

Dear Lakshmy

Thank you for your reply. It appears to be very rare but my oncologist informed me the treatment is none different. I'm to start radium treatments next week followed by chemo, regime to be decided after ct scan. I also have no family history of ovca as I live in Ireland I don't know the eligibility of genetic testing. I will ask onc next visit.

Now that we know about it we will keep in touch

Carmel

[Anjen]

Hi Carmel, Do you mean you will be receiving radiotherapy treatment for the breast lesion? Do you have any details about how effective this is? I only ask because this is something I havent been offered and wondering if this could be an option for me also. Many thanks. Love Lakshmy

[Moyraelan in reply to Anjen]

I forgot to say she also prescribed Tamoxifen. Yes the radiotherapy is specifically for the breast lesion, she hopes it will be effective in getting rid of the tumour. I don't know how effective it will be but my onc seems quite confident that it will help. I have little breast tissue ( not a double d or anything like ) that so in this case it may be helpful in blasting it to kingdom come!!!!!

Carmel

[Anjen in reply to Moyraelan]

Hi Carmel, Hope your radiotherapy is going ok and you are feeling better. Does your breast lesion causes difficulty in raising your hand and is it on the left or right breast? Mine is on the left and the second line chemo I am undergoing currently hasn't done much to it now. So radiotherapy could be an option for the future. I also saw my Oncologist and she asked me to wait to know the efficacy of the chemo before trying radiotherapy or Tamoxifen etc. Take care. Love from Lakshmy

[Moyraelan in reply to Anjen]

Dear Lakshmy

Update on condition. Had scan last week further mets in lymph glands under rt arm, also fluid on lungs and spots in peritoneum. Radium now cancelled, repeat ca125 to see if any change with Tamoxifen treatment, if it continues to rise I will start chemo on Thursday unsure of regime as I'm platinum Resistent. The lesion is on the rt breast and does not cause any difficulty when lifting it up. The onc thought there was a slight reduction in its size and she hopes the Tamoxifen is working . Anyway I will know tomorrow.

Love Carmel

[Anjen in reply to Moyraelan]

Hi Carmel, How are you? Sorry i only noticed your message now as I didnt get an e mail to show your response. I am still confused about this site and I cant get into some of the posts as they are hidden?

I am sorry to hear that the radiotherapy had to be cancelled. I hope things are progressing well for you. Please let me know how you are getting on. Have you started your chemo?

I had my scans after three does of Caelyx and although the abdomen looks stable? some new lymph nodes showing up, the breast lesions are expanding. I have pain around the whole left chest area, and arm movement is restricted. I am waiting to see my Oncologist next week and will let you know once I know more.

I apologise again for not seeing your mail as I couldnt see any of my precious posts and only just got round to finding out how to get them.

Love Lakshmy

[Moyraelan in reply to Anjen]

Dear Lakshmy

Great to hear from you. I started back on chemo last Friday on Trabectedin every three weeks, onc may add doxil . Not too positive about the treatment, had to have my rt lung drained with some relief but feeling very drained with abdominal pain and gas. I have no pain in my right breast but often sore on the left side. To stay on tamoxifen. I'm unsure if the breast lesion is reduced but it has not increases. Please let me know how you get on next week.

Love carmel

[Anjen in reply to Moyraelan]

Hi Carmel, Thank you for the response. I had my scans coupleof weeks ago and saw my Onc on Tuesday. It looks like Doxil isnt working and the lesions in my breast has expanded. There are new nodes showing in the abdomen, but otherwise stable.... so they say. So Doxil was stopped and they have started me on Tamoxifen. My breast lesions have been biopsied yesterday to do more tests to absolutely make sure that it is not a separate cancer. So I am waiting for the results. In the meantime, I am ok except for some discomfort when raising my left arm and the left breast has swellled up a bit.

I also get occasional soreness on my armpit on the left where the axilla were removed during my abdominal surgery and also on the right hand side, particularly around ribs, but again only occasionally. I take Ibuprofen and Omprazole as required and it controls the pain.

I hope your treatment works for you. Doxil is milder than the Paclitaxol and also you wont lose your hair. I am glad I have found you and we will keep in touch. Again, I didnt get an e mail to say you have responded and I had to search you to find this message. Hope the chemo is not causing too much problem for you. Tamoxifen is a good call for breast lesions and you are on the right course. Take care and will be in touch. Love Lakshmy

[Anjen in reply to Moyraelan]

Hi Carmel, Sorry, I forgot to ask you, why was your radiotherapy cancelled? The breast surgeon yesterday said that Radiotherapy may be an option to relieve discomfort. Did it cause any soreness for you? Love L

[Moyraelan in reply to Anjen]

Dear Lakshmy

Radiotherapy was cancelled because it would have only been specific to the breast and my scan showed progression in the lymph nodes lungs and abdomen and she (onc) decided that chemo would be the best option as it would treat all. I'm also glad to have met you and to communicate with you and compare notes. I had to have a lung (pleural tap) last week and that wasn't too nice, if it returns they will perform a pleurdesis to stop the fluid returning. We will keep in touch.

Love carmel

[Moyraelan in reply to Anjen]

As a further note I didn't have any pain in my breast, it was just a mass. If I did have pain I'm sure the doctor would have given me radiotherapy to relieve the discomfort but as an overall treatment for the spread of the disease she suggested chemotherapy would be the better option. Hope this helps. Love Carmel

[Anjen in reply to Moyraelan]

Hi Carmel, hope you are keeping well. I had my one set of results and it confirms that it is related to OVCA. I am waiting for the next set of results. In the meantime, the breast team are suspicious of my other breast and have biopsied that too. So waiting for the results now. I am on Tamoxifen and take ibuprofen occasionally when I am in pain. Love. Lakshmy

[jandeb007]

Hi, I don`t know if i can help - but I had a small ovarian cyst diagnosed some years ago, and apart from also having the Mirena coil fitted - seem to have no problem with that. I do now have a very painful lump in my breast - hope to get in to see doctor Monday morning...I didn`t know the two could be related?

[jandeb007]

P.s. I forgot to say, to all of those bloggers (ladies?) good luck with your various problems too. I am pleased to have found somewhere I can seek advice, and know we are not alone. I look forward to hopefully getting relief from this uncomfortable pain very soon...keep em crossed for me please girls. Regards Jane

[Hidden]

At the time my ovarian cancer returned (Aug 2014), I had a regular breast screen (I live in Western Australia). This showed a possible cancer in the breast. My oncologist advised me to have the further breast screen tests, which I did. This involved a scan - the nurses told me it was like grains of salt (so not the pea-sized lump we're told to look for during breast self-examination). On the same day, same clinic, I then had a core biopsy. The results, a few days later, showed there WAS cancer in the breast but it was ovarian cancer, not breast cancer. My ovarian cancer had spread. I soon commenced chemo (Caelyx, Carboplatin + trial drug, Avastin). 6 months later - REMISSION !