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Women's HealthWomen's CancersCould mum’s kidney pain be linked to a previous breast cancer?
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Could mum’s kidney pain be linked to a previous breast cancer?

by Dr Howard Lee

question
My mum has had breast cancer twice: once 14 years ago when she had a lump removed and then again seven years later when she had a full mastectomy. She has recently been to see her GP with a suspect lump in her collarbone area on the same side as her mastectomy. He has informed her that there is a strong chance that the cancer is back.

She has been suffering with severe kidney pain for almost a year now and he has been treating this with strong antibiotics. Could the two be linked and if so shouldn’t the kidney problem have been investigated sooner with my mum’s history?

answer
It really is difficult to know what is meant by “kidney pain”: I assume that definite infection has been isolated from the urine to indicate the need for antibiotics as treatment. I’m not sure if X-rays, scans, etc. have been done. Obviously, the fear with any cancer is that it might spread. Whilst some cancers commonly spread to certain areas, others go to different areas. I don't think that any of us would, however, be certain of anything definite – and continuing symptoms in any area would always make us suspicious enough to want to investigate as much as possible. I do hope that this has been done, and that things turn out well for your mum.
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