Origin and Metastasis

Sasha · Regular Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 49

Is there a real way to tell the origin of the cancer as compared to the mets.?

I really dont think my dads origin was the lungs, I think its just where they found it first, because he has alot more in the liver and bones(and everywhere else)

Sasha

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 871

Sasha,

If your Dad had a biopsy, then they know the origin was the lungs by examining the tumor cells. Regardless of where the cancer metastasizes to, it is still lung cancer. If they were to take a biopsy of a bone or liver met, it would still show up under a microscope as Lung Cancer Adenocarcinoma. It is fairly common for lung cancer to run to the bones and liver.

Hope this helped. How is your Dad doing?

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Sasha · Regular Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 49

Dad is still doing great, he did a total 360, he went from being sick and hardly being able to get up to go to the bathroom, and we thought we were losing him to getting up every day for the past week working on stuff around the house and yard and almost seems back to his normal self.

They did do a biopsy!

Sasha

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 871

Sasha,

So very glad to hear how well your Dad is doing. The ups and downs are so extreme -- I remember them well. That's why you never give up hope, there could always be a rally around the corner. Very Happy

Your Dad's biopsy confirmed the origin as the lungs, so all the other mets are also from the lung cancer moving through his system. It's a crazy disease, to be sure.

Best of luck in the days ahead!
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Sasha · Regular Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 49

It just seems like he has so much more in other places.

Is there anyway to tell how long he has had it?

He has alot in the liver and bones, he has always had back pain as far as I can remember(20 years) and he has it in his upper and lower spine, thats why I kindof thought bones could be the origin.

Sasha

brainman · Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 7:39 am Post subject: Re: Origin and Metastasis

Sasha, yes, sometimes the place of origin cannot even be detected. Sometimes the major tumor bulk is in the metastatic tumors and not the primary location. But the cells will look the same under a microscope.

There is no way to tell absolutely for sure how long the cancer has been present. Sometimes a doctor is able to make an educated guess based on the tumor's cell type, stage, and grade.

I have never heard of a primary bone cancer that metastasizes to the lungs. It that indeed can happen, the biopsy should clearly be able to tell the difference. What were the results of the biopsy?

You and your father are in my thoughts and prayers.
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Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
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pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 871

Sasha,

I know --- it's weird the way the cancer runs around the body. My husband was loaded with cancer too, but his stayed in the lung area. He did have a couple of bone mets. The cancer goes to where it can find a comfy place to grab hold and grow, those are the mets. I've had friends and relatives with more cancer outside of their lungs than inside their lungs too. My husband's cancer liked his lungs, so all of his mets were located there.

I often wonder how long my husband's cancer was growing before it was detected. It really depends on how aggressive or fast it grows and that's not an answer anyone has ever been able to give me. Frustrating business.

God be with you. I know how hard it is to handle all the questions that swirl through your mind.

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

koikkeril · Senior User Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 199

Sasha, I tried finding out the same question with the lung oncologist with my husband in the December. They said they believe my husbands cancer started from the lung, but he also has had terrific pain continuous from the year 2000, in lower to middle back.
He had been many times to the Doctors regarding this previously and they found nothing. My husband says its the same place now as it was then?
My husband believes his started from the bones and that if they found it in time he wouldnt be like this today.
God bless to you and your family and I am glad to hear your dad is getting out of bed and doing things around the home. koik

Sasha · Regular Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 49

I kind of think if my dads started in the lungs he has had it for a long time, and his back has had it just as long. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers koikkeril, you are in mine also.
Sasha

caligirl · Regular Joined: 07 Apr 2008 Posts: 36

I wonder the same thing about my mom. She hasd breast cancer about 11years ago. It was very early and still contained in the milk duct but the doctors said that they were ""Angry" cells. They wanted to just do a lumpectomy with some radiation but my mom went radical and had a double mastectomy...so when she got this diagnosis, I questioned the doctors. She did had a broncoscpy and at first it was undetermined on what type she had. After further review, they decided that it was non small cell adenocarcinoma because the cells were too large. They said they just didn't get that much in the biopsy. I asked them over and over if it could be from the breast cancer, they said it was a secondary cancer but finally admitted that sometimes they are wrong and that they pretty much go by the way that it spreads.
Also - she has chest xray 1 year before diagnosis and it was clear. They even went back and re-checked it and feel that it was clear. By the time she was diagnosed the lung tumor was already 7cm with 6 brain mets (one leaking) and also in the adreanal gland....

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