Got my Pathology results back last week and was told I had lymph node involvement of 30/35. (the tumour was Grade 3 and 102mm so, not small!)
This week have been for CT scan and Bone scan so now Im just waiting again to find out what my treatment is
I cant help feeling that 30/35 is not good and I should prepare myself for some more bad news.
Has anybody had this amount of spread to lymph nodes and not had it spread to other parts?
The waiting is driving me nuts and its still another 2 weeks before my appointment.
Depends on what kind of cancer you have as well as a host of other factors…I tend to believe that lymph node status is not as significant as type of cancer and your wider general health as lymph nodes are meant to gather up germs and bad cells…there are people with no lymph node involvement who get secondaries a lot faster than those who had lots of nodes involved…
I had lymph nodes removed and still waiting for other scans to see re spread so can´t answer your question I´m afraid…but I think secondary spread is a lot more complicated than just node involvement.
Good Luck…
xxx
hi madmax just wanted to say the waiting is the hardest part there are many ladies with node involvment and are still fine with no spread - these scans have to be done to be on the safe side - sending you positive vibes for clean scans xxxxx
Hi, Hey… it is a shock… as i know because I also had 25 nodes positive…you are not alone. I know how you feel. just think of the nodes doing their job and trapping the cancer cells…thats the way i look at it…it doesn’t mean it’s spread just because your nodes are involved…
Karen xx
Hello
Really feel for you cos i’m in the “waiting game” too. Had ct scan, bone scan this week. Can’t help but presume the worst and every ache/cough etc is just terrifying. All we can do is wait, hope and support each other.
Hugs and wishes
Donna xx
Thanks all for replying!
I spend half my time trying to convince myself everything is fine and the other half feeling sorry for myself
I guess I was having a bad day - Last week was a busy week for me with scans and having seroma drained etc.
I think also part of me is frustrated since, when im told that there are people bouncing around a few days after surgery and Im clearly not, it makes me feel down 
We all have days like this, sadly,
Hi
Waiting for results is the most horrid part of this journey so I do empathise.
As others have said, lymph nodes are there to stop the nasties from spreading. I visaulize my nodes a burly bouncers outside a club, stopping the trouble-makers from getting in. They are on our side. Lymph is only one way of BC spreading, it can also spread haematomically. I was node negative but am still doing the chemo as am HER2+ which puts me at high risk of recurrence. You say your tumour was 102mm - that is still classed as a Stage 1 tumour, relatively small. many ladies on here have had tumours over 5cm and more. So as sacha said, lymph node involvement is only one factor that has to be considered.
Stay in the forums, you will get loads of support during this awful waiting time, we have all been there.
Much love Pixie xx
Yes mine are bouncers too Pixie, one of them got really fat (beer belly you know) but did its job …
xx
When was your surgery? Where are all the people bouncing around after surgery? I was not too bad physcially albeit it with seromas, but i am still uncomfortable and very tight etc, but I would definitely not say I was bouncing around…
I am Stage 3 and probably will not have chemo as Onc this week said risks of significant damage to me from chemo are higher than normal due to my wider health and drug sensitivities and “its a balance” - damage puts me at greater risk of potentially needing an organ transplant so for me its a huge decision to make…especially as there is no evidence it HAS spread…still awaiting scans…
I too had a large tumour which was 9cm (900mm) - I think from what you say
yours is 10cm (100cm) so it will be stage 2. I also had node involement and had
9 out of 24 nodes involved - I also had vasucular(sp?) invasion too. It is
normal to be scanned for staging after this and when they have your results you
will get your treatment plan. Like others on here I did not have any further
spread - and had chemo and rads and now on hormone theropy - so it is not
automatic that you will get secondaries. I am over 2 years now since diagnosis,
just had a delayed reconstruction and am feeling fine. I know you will think the
‘worst’ I did and until you get the results all sorts of scenarios go through
your head the waiting is really the pits, but lots of hugs - there are many many
of us girls who had big tumours and large node involvement and we are all fine
so take heart xxx
Safron think your getting your cms and mms mixed up a bit too… 90mm is 9cm and 102mm is 10.2cm…but over 5cm with neg nodes is stage 2 but if nodes pos then its stage 3… But still cureable 
Feel for all you ladies in the waiting room… Its the pitts… Hope you all get some good news soon xxx
How do they find out you are “cured” Lulu?
Its not just the tumour size though is it, or the nodes, its the type of cancer as well and hormone and Herceptin status?
Well most of us will be cured but the only way we will know is that we die of old age in many years time… Unfortunately there is no way to test to see if we are cured… But maybe one day they will be able to do that.
For working ut the stage its basicallythe size and spread of teh tumour but for prognosis its based on everything… But as we know BC is a fickle disease and doesnt always do what we expect. Eg i had neg node TNBC and my friend had 12/20 node positive TNBC the year before she is now 4 years with no recurrence i had a recurrence to the chest wall after 2 years!
Just jumping in here. Back in June 10 I was also waiting for both CT and bone scan results as I had 22/25 nodes affected. The results came back all clear, so I had 6 doses of TAC.
I have been back at work for 15 months now, and feel well and happy. I guess what I’m trying to say is that just because we have node involvement it doesn’t mean it has spread - there are many ladies out there who have been where you are, and haven’t had spread.
I do wish you all clear results from your scan, and best wishes on your journey… Do keep in touch, and feel free to ask any questions.
Dotty2 x
got my metrics wrong lol… but yes I agree - My onc went for a ‘cure’ and as far as she is concerned I am ‘cured’ but as we all know whatever the size, grade or node or non node this blasted disease can come back and that is the horrid thing about it all - I have managed to live by thinking it might come back, but then again it might not and live life for today is what I say (and do) xxx
I had a grade 3 her2positive 7 cm tumour and 23 out of 27 lymph nodes were positive. I finished chemo and rads in Feb 2011.
Nearly seventeen months on I am fine. Obviously I worry about a recurrence, however, I know of people with a greater node involvement who are still here five years on and equally I know of people with no node or very small node involvement who very sadly got a recurrence
One of the things I have learnt about cancer that all cancers are different.
So please try and think positively
Hi there, I read this thread ith interest. Back in November I asked a vey similar question as I had 23/29 nodes affected. I was a nervous wreck waiting for scn results and was convinced I would be bad news. I didn,t, scans were all clear and I’m finishing 20 sessions of radiotherapy this week. Have also had 6 x TAC. Every cancer is different, there is always hope, wishing you all the best
Herbi x
Hello,
I wonder if you more knowledgeable ladies could help me with this?
I am yet to be ‘staged’ as I am having neo-adjuvant chemo and ANC and mx to follow. I am a little confused bt the node/size issue. for example I have a 5cm tumour & at least 1 node involved. Does that mean I am likely to be stage 3? - That sounds really scary if that is so. But that is my conclusion…
Thanks
WS
I think the 5cm tumour plus one node would make you stage 3…but probably only stage 3A…it is classed as locally advanced - note word locally…
I am / was that with 7 nodes affected, and probably will not have chemo as Oncologist has said I am higher risk of long term chemo damage…
I have decided not to take too much notice of these as we are all so different and there are people on here who had chemo and are back for second or third time, some with new cancer who had no node involvment and others with nodes involved, more than mine, who are fine several years on…
Its too easy to be scared with cancer and I don´t think it helps us…
Hi Wintersocks,
I had the same as you neo-ajuvant chemo first then mastectomy with lymph clearance followed by rads, they perform the chemo first to reduce the size of the tumour before surgery as in my case my tumour was 6cm after chemo 2mil, also I had 13 nodes taken out and out of that only 1 had any cancer in it, chemo really does work, I was staged at grade 3 initially although unfortnately my cancer had spread and I am now stage IV. Please dont think this will happen to you because we are all different every bodys cancer responds differently to the treatments etc this disease is a very individual disease.
It is only natural to feel scared by this but have faith there are plenty of women living for a very long time after being dx at stage 3 and stage IV, its hard because its early days for you I’m a year down the line and still have my wobbly moments we all do, if you want any advice or any help send me a pm (private message).
Sending lots of love and light to you
sarahlousiexxxx