Breast Cancer / Brittle Bone

[nailit]

A few weeks ago my mum broke her humerus bone. She did nothing more strenuous than turning around to flush the toilet and it snapped. She had an op and spent a couple of weeks in a care home (came back home on Monday).
Ive since been told that having had breast cancer (which was diagnosed and treated 4 years ago) that she would also be more likely to develop bone cancer around the upper arm area. (first time ive ever heard of that) She has had some tests done while been treated for the broken bone and has an appointment on Friday to go back see the surgeon and (hopefully) the results will be back.

Given the ease in which the bone snapped, is it looking likely that it IS bone cancer? If so what would be the likelihood of any further cancer treatment at her age (84) and the fact that she also has kidney failure and heart problems?

Not looking for any kind of sympathy here BTW, just need to be prepared.
Thanks guys.

[Mamyalynne]

It's quite likely a combination of her age and possibly the Cancer and its treatment that has contributed to her bones thinning.

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/breast-cancer/coping/side-effects-and-symptoms/late-effects-of-breast-cancer-treatment/effects-on-the-bones.html



Re treatment if Cancer returns, then her Oncologist will guide.

[nailit]

Thank you Mamy, and thanks for the link. Its all a bit worrying at the mo.

[wolf63]

My mum broke a few bones doing normal stuff and it was all down to the steroids that she took for her asthma. Your mum could also have osteoporosis.

Best wishes to your mum - at 84 she was probably hoping for a much more peaceful time

[Sqad]

What a good question.
The likelihood is that it is a secondary deposit from her breast cancer, but osteoporosis (brittle bone) can't be ruled out. Blood tests supported by further X-Rays will clinch the diagnosis.
The big question is, if the arm problem is due to cancer, has the cancer spread to other bony parts. If so, then the end is probably nigh.
Yes if found solitary and is from her breast, treatment can follow, but the prognosis is poor....very poor.
Underlying heart problems, kidney failure, aged 84, if i was her i might consider refusing further treatment.

[nailit]

I was just about to respond to wolf, when sqads post popped up, so one at a time,,,,
First of all, wolf, yes my mum has osteo, but so did my dad for the last 20 yrs of his life and no broken bones. More luck than anything else I guess! But many thanks for ur reply, appreciate it.

Sqad, Thank you as well. So in ur opinion, not looking too good?

[nailit]

Not xrays sqad, some kind of scan (cat scan I think)

[Sqad]

Nailit.........depends.
If malignant........poor prognosis.(not looking good).
If osteoporosis.......this should not shorten her life.

[nailit]

Ah right, thanks sqad.
Will update Friday.
Just never heard of breast cancer causing other cancer in the arm, new one on me... Thought she was over the worse of it 4 yrs ago.

[Sqad]

nailit.......the commonest cause of a malignant bone cancer is one that has spread from cancer of the breast.

[nailit]

//the commonest cause of a malignant bone cancer is one that has spread from cancer of the breast//

I presume you mean bone cancer of the surrounding area, ie upper arm or sternum etc?
Or am I missing something?

[Sqad]

nailit.......no......I mean any bone......skull, arm, leg, spine and so on, they travel in the blood stream to the bones, even far away, and set up their deadly deeds.

[nailit]

OK thanks sqad, I took human biology in my options last years of school. Never learnt any of this stuff. Come to think of it, never learnt anything of value anyway. Years later, things like this, what a complete load of boooolicks it all was.

[Sqad]

LOL.......;-)

[nailit]

Why don't they teach you at school that the people you love most are going to die eventually??

[nailit]

^^^ leave that last one to the AB philosophers.

[NoMercy]

She could be osteoporotic from having endocrine therapy with an aromatase inhibitor.

[nailit]

Not been funny NM but whats that in English?

[woofgang]

Nailit, brittle bones caused at least in part by the meds she has been on.

[jennyjoan]

I agree with you Nailit - everyone is prepared for a birth, prepared for baptism (Catholic), Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage (all happy times) but no-one prepares you for the worst time of your life - death of your loved ones.

[NoMercy]

People who have hormone receptor positive cancers are given endocrine therapy for up to 5 years following surgery, chemo and radio, or up to 10 years for high risk disease with nodal involvement.

Pre-menopausal women are usually treated with Tamoxifen and post-menopausal women tend to be treated with aromatase inhibitors such as Anastrozole or Letrozole.

The Aromatase inhibitors are associated with bone loss so we tend to give patients bone densitometry (DEXA) scans every 2 years to measure their bone mineral density.

Your mother's fracture could be osteoporotic in nature, rather than pathological.