metastisis

Is it possible to have bone metastisis from a dx. of grade 1 (overall score 5/9), estrogen positive, without vascular involvement, HER2/NEU 1+,  infilltration ductal carcinoma of the right breast?   Is it possible to have questionable pain from mets before the actual tumor is dx.? Currently awaitng lumpectomy, results are from core biopsy.  Have had right side rib and some shoulder and hip pain for years.  Have always been told related to osteoarthritis.  Even have xray and bone scan results that note focal increased uptake in T9 region, probably related to degenerative changes.  Also noted symmetrically at shoulders, knees, ankles and feet.  Focal bone mineral density involves sternalclavicular and sternomanubrial joints.  Trying to determine if the pain is truly arthitis or something else? 41 years old, the pain is not debilitating, it's just always there...Thank you in advance for your time and response

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear gabriella:  While nothing is impossible, it is unlikely that the pain you describe is due to bone metastasis for several reasons.  First, you have an early breast cancer with a low probability of having metastasized.  Second, your pain preceeded your diagnosis by years - with negative scans, according to the radiologist.  If this were metastasis, it would likely have grown, gotten worse, and caused more pain.  Third, degenerative changes are far more common than bone metastasis.  If the pain gets worse or pops up in new places, another evaluation would be appropriate.