Olivia Newton John now has metastatic cancer

Oh I know that.  I'm not confused at all but thanks for clearing up for others . I understand it is not a new breast cancer but metastases of her original . I'm  just saying for her it's  a new diagnosis (as in she's just been told...definition of diagnosis is...the identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms)....  she's just been told ...that it's now stage 4. As opposed to a new primary breast cancer.

I see this confusion all the time and this is an area that needs people to be educated on.  If anyone regardless of how many years has cancer return after a primary diagnosis and it has spread to any other part of the body than a breast it is a metastatic or secondary diagnosis even in Olivia's case it is metastatic or secondary breast cancer not a new primary.  
If however your cancer returns to your breast it is considered a new primary cancer. I hope this helps clear up the confusion.  It doesn't matter whether your 10yrs down the track or 30yrs down the track, cancer cells are so microscopic they lay dormant for many many years undetected  not causing any issues, at present it is still unknown as to why metastatic cancer flares up so many years post primary diagnosis, one day researches will have the answer.
it is important though we must live our lives as if we are cured just like Olivia did.  Olivia is not dying she is now living with metastatic  breast cancer as am  I.  We are living longer and longer with metastatic disease its just a different kind of normal, very different to the new normal we experience after a primary diagnosis as we are on constant scans, treatment, repeat process usually 4mthly for the rest of our lives.
Im a 15yrs survivor living with liver mets since 2012

kind regards. 

I had a metastatic diagnosis after 11 years - we are never "cured".  I hope her treatment will give her many more healthy years.

It's a new diagnosis though as she would have thought she was cured after 25 years. We can all imagine that devastating info being given to her. 

@Brenda5 I don't think anyone mentioned it was a new cancer.  Olivia's cancer is metastatic meaning it is breast cancer that has returned to another site in her body other than her breast.  Yes treatment is very different for metastatic disease, currently fingers crossed Olivia is very fortunate to have this in an area that requires radiation and no chemotherapy at present and I really hope this remains the way for some time.

cheers xx

Its not a 'new' cancer, its an extension of her prior breast cancer and there is a huge difference in its aggressiveness and treatment hopefully in her favour. I think at this stage she is opting for radiation to shrink it and cannabis oil to also short out its progression and give pain relief. Here is a great article which explained things a lot to me. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/breast-cancer-in-the-spine-understanding-metastatic_us_592eecd7e4b0d80e3a8a324d?ncid=engmodushpmg00000003

out of all of this though there is hope, as someone living with metastatic bc of the liver for the past 5yrs.  There are more and more drugs becoming available to tailor treatment to each individual we are living longer with metastatic disease.  25yrs cancer free is an amazing feat without knowing much about her primary cancer.  I wish her all the best with her radiation treatment.

Yes...25 years since her first disgnosis. Insidious disease. But selfishly I'd love a 25 year break if cure isn't my path. I hope she does well with her treatment.

I think like all of us, the News just takes us all back a peg...I never worried of recurrence until it happened to me. So now?? I actually don't worry about it really, I've done and am doing all I could do. I've changed alot of things, good diet, exercise daily now finally, meditate, lots of alternative therapies that have given me MORE quality of life than anything else. No two people are the same, there is no crystal ball, so just live the way YOU want to live, do the things that make YOU happy, not everyone else. NURTURE you...put you above everything. There is no right or wrong in any of this, apart from doing and being all the things that make YOU happy and bring you happiness and peace. 

My Mum got Cancer after 26years free after Breast Cancer, they said it was unrelated, not sure how that works. 

So ladies! my heart goes out not just to Olivia but ANYBODY out there going through this...

Hugs ladies xo Melinda

I was sad to hear about Olivia's new cancer.  And today I also heard a long term friend has another breast cancer, she had BC and a mastectomy quite a few years ago.  A lovely woman.  Cancer certainly doesn't discriminate.  Food for thought.  Good luck everyone Karen