What is/are "mets"?

[mizcaliflower]

I'm sorry, I'm not savvy to some [most] of the lingo and shortcuts in language. I have no idea what "mets" is/are.

Thanks! Deborah

[Silver126]

Metastasis. Have a nice day😃

[Hazelgreen]

Hello "Mizcaliflower",

When cancer cells grow in another part of the body, the cancer is said to "metastasize" to that part of the body. Each new cancer growth is called a "metatasis", shortened to "mets" by those of us dealing with this health difficulty. I hope this explanation helps.

If you google "mets", references to the baseball team is all you'll find. If you google, "metastasis", CancerNet will give you the definition.

Welcome to this site where you'll find knowledge and support.

Regards,

Cindy

[mizcaliflower in reply to Hazelgreen]

Thank you so much Cindy! This is all new to me. I appreciate your response.

God Bless you!

[TammyCross]

You already have metastatic breast cancer. If docs are talking to you about mets, it could mean it has spread elsewhere, new "mets." The words we want to hear are "stable" and "no progression." This cancer is incurable. We will all be on treatment for life. Even those of us who are NED or have times when we are NED stay in treatment. NED = no evidence of disease. But stable and not progressing are good.

If Ibrance made you so sick, it is surprising your docs are recommending you take it again. There are alternatives and everyone reacts differently. It is so strange that way. One treatment works for one person but not for another. One treatment makes this person sick, but another doesn't, and for someone else it is the opposite. It is hard to understand how we all have the same disease (with variations) but respond differently. I had an easy time with Ibrance and took it as long as it worked. Other people couldn't tolerate it, so they were given a different targeted therapy. There are a few choices of different CDK/4 inhibitors.

[mizcaliflower in reply to TammyCross]

Thank you so much Tammy. I just asked someone else about NED too. I really need to learn the lingo for myself. Thank you!!!

[Ursula_I]

hello,

I use 'mets' because it sounds less scary than 'tumours' but I think it amounts to more or less the same thing. The doctors can also say 'lesions'.

All best wishes to you

Lucy x

[mizcaliflower in reply to Ursula_I]

Thanks so much Ursula! I appreciate your response.

God bless you!

[TammyCross in reply to Ursula_I]

I finally looked up the difference between tumors and lesions. Any injury or damage is a lesion. Therefore, all tumors are lesions, but not all lesions are tumors (a lesion could be from a stroke, for example). Tumors can be benign or malignant (cancer). Lesions also can be cancerous or not. Malignant tumors or lesions tend to grow and spread to surrounding tissue (or distant tissue). Still learning after 3 years.

I think not giving cancer credence is risky, if I understand what you mean by credence. We need to respect breast cancer that has already spread to other areas. We can try not to let it overwhelm us (easier when it is stable and not so easy when it is progressing and we are scared) or dominate us (easier when we are not in pain), but it is there, and we have to live with it. They call us "metastatic breast cancer thrivers" not "survivors" for a reason.

[Garden-Lady]

The 'mets' are short for 'metastases' which is spots where cancer has spread.

[mizcaliflower in reply to Garden-Lady]

Thank you so much! God bless you!

[8576]

Don't be sorry. You are probably not the only one that doesn't understand the short form of metastases or anything else for that matter.

Mets to the lung or liver for example, mean the disease is spreading to that area. Hope these explanations help you understand.

Cheers, June S.

[mizcaliflower in reply to 8576]

It's all new to me. I was diagnosed in Dec 2021. Only recently joined this forum. Even then, I didn't really participate. I guess I was diagnosed with "mets" as later discovered my Lepto Menegeal began as breast cancer.

I try not to give the cancer too much credence.

Thanks so much for responding! I appreciate it.

God bless you.

[8576]

Mets is the short form for metastised. Don't be sorry. It takes a while to wade through all the data that is coming at you. I am glad you have found us. It is a source of info that will help you on this wild journey. Sounds like Ibrance was not for you but talk it over with our Dr. and maybe try the lowest dose or try something else.

Cheers, June S.