12 years after my initial diagnosis of breast cancer I have been told today that It is back in my lymph nodes. I had a right mastectomy with lymph node clearance in 2004 followed by Chemo, rads and 5 years Tamoxifen and 5 years Letrezol which finished 15 months ago. But now it is back, after finding enlarged lymph nodes near my left collar bone my GP referred me to ENT who removed one for biopsey, the results came back today that it is breast cancer and the CT scan shows that there are a lot of enlarged lymph nodes in my chest which are causing some pain and problems with my breathing. I now have to wait to see the Breast Cancer team to find out exactly what is happening. Not sure what lies ahead but has anybody else had it return in their lymph nodes.
Hello Sandra
Welcome to the family. My bc came back after eleven years just when I had forgotten about it !! The other thing is …mine came back to hip, femur, pelvis and spine not lymph nodes like yours but lots of ladies here will reply with similar dx so hopefully they can reassure you.
Its hard after so long to accept it all as I think we all assume after all the treatment …it goes away but a lot of us are very unlucky and it comes back to haunt us !! My oncologist said that sometimes rogue cells don’t die with the chemo but hibernate for years and then just activate . Survival rates are better now for primary ladies as there are more scans and tests are done at source but for us …2004 was five years treatment and then discharged !! I only had my first ever scan Oct 2015 when I had hip problems and then dx with bone Mets.
Xmas hugs xxx
Hi Sandra,
mine came back to my liver and spine, just three years after being told I could stop letro…I think they now say 10 years on Letro is better.
i tried it again but the cancer had mutated!.. Yes, as Carolyn says, it is scary when it returns…take a deep breath and hopefully you will feel a bit better once they sort out a treatment plan.do keep us postedas to how it goes,
xxx Moijan???
Hi
I was first dx in 2009. Grade and stage . No lymph nodes involved. Had lumpectomy, rads and 5 years on tamoxifen that I finished in march 2015. In may 2016 found out my bc had returned in the lymph nodes in my collerbone and in my mammory gland. No spread to any organs , it inoperable. I’ve had 6 rounds of ec which I finis he’d in Oct. The chemo had killed all the cancer cells. Now on letrozole and zoladex. I’ve got a re scan in January to see if the letrozole are keeping it at bay. Mine is er+ her2- . Let us know how you get on. Good luck.
Thanks
I saw the oncologist yesterday, he fitted me in at the end of the day as the ENT consultant had spoken to him, however, he had been unable to access the scan results on the computer system for some reason, only the histology of the removed lymph node. He confirmed that it was BC, my original diagnosis and treatment was carried out 200 miles away so they now have to track down my original notes. Luckily my brother had persuaded me in 2004 to ask for a copy of the original histology which I had scanned on the computer and not deleted, so I have sent that in. I am waiting now for a bone scan and the plan at the moment is to start Capecitabine in 2 weeks time. I am currently on steroids for my breathing so feeling like the Duracell bunny wishing somebody would take the batteries out so that I can sleep, I managed to get all the ironing done in the early hours of this morning, it usually gets ironed as needed. I am trying to stay positive and relieved that things are progressing.
Hello Sandra,
I am very sorry that your breast cancer has come back, but I am sure that there will be a treatment for you.I hope that you will get an answer soon.
I too had breast cancer in 2004 and had a mastectomy after a lumpectomy which was not enough. I too was taking Tamoxifen followed by Aromasin but I did not have chemotherapy or radiotherapy, possibly because of my mobility problems caused by polio when I was eight. I have been complaining of shoulder pain for over a year and had seen a physio also I had a scan and an appointment with an oncologist who reassured me that the cancer had not returned. But just recently the pain has become worse and spread to my ribs and under the arm on my left side where the mastectomy was.
I am worried that the cancer has now returned.Should I go to my GP or to the hospital where I had the cancer treatment?
I wish you a Happy New Year (as far as possible under these difficult circumstances)
Zsuzsanna
Hi Sandra,
I’m one of those people that had a diagnosis of metastasized breast cancer without having a primary diagnosis. It turns out that I had an enlarged lymph node in my left breast near my armpit for at least six years on screening scans and it was not called out as something that needed investigation. I am angry as heck about it; although it gets me nowhere.
My oncologist put me on Letrozole which I could not tolerate as it gave me a very rapid heart beat and palpitations. So now I’m on Anastrozole, which I don’t think is working. I can feel a tightness in my armpit and my stomach area always feels upset. My scans revealed widespread cancer in my bones and enlarged lymph nodes, especially near my pancreas. The onc said the enlarged nodes could be “something or nothing” and my bet is on something.
Moving to be near family next month so new oncologist and I suspect chemo. I am hoping for a good quaility of life at least long enough to outlive my two lovely dogs, who are both 14 years old.
Another newbie to join the club! Not sure which thread to post on but this one seemed the most appropriate. My story is primary breast cancer in 1999 at the age of 36, mastectomy, lymph clearance (one affected node), then 6 cycle of CMF chemo. Gap of 17 years then lung mets confirmed end of October 2016. As well as the physical things this disease does to us, I feel it robs our personality too. Previously I was confident and positive but now I feel in a black hole that I just can’t scramble out of however hard I try - I guess time might help.
Anyway, back last Autumn when I was at the waiting stage for results and treatment plan, I posted once on another site and has replies from Kirky68 and Aubergine who I think post here too. Thank you so much ladies, your replies helped me so much at that time.
MaggieMac
A great big welcome to us …we are quite a family and the ladies here are so kind and well informed with advice which is real and not what u read on internet.
Sorry you have had to return to bc …it’s a pain after so long when we have moved on from primary and treatment.
Mine was 2004 … and then secondary bone Mets dx Oct 2015 as well …it’s like being hit by a double decker bus and yes it knocks all our personality and lifestyle into a new life.
Mine was bone Mets to hips femur pelvis and spine and so from being a active little Duracell bunny am now limited with mobility etc but hey hoo …we cope.
Hugs Carolyn xxxxx
Welcome MaggieMac,
Sorry you had to join our group but like Carolyn has said. we are all her to offer support and advice whenever you need it. It is always good to share your thoughts and rants with people who really understand what you are going through and don’t critisize or fob you off when problems that are real for you need addressing.
I was diasgnosed with mets to pleura, lung and bones in September 2015 after being clear for 13 years and like you was devastated and couldn’t come to terms with it initially. However once you are diagnosed you are swept along with investigations, treatment plans and appointments, your life is completely taken over it seems. A year on and with 2 attemps at oral chemo behind me neither of which unfortunately I tolerated very well so they were discontinued, but that was due to my genetic makeup, so please don’t take that as the norm.
I am now feeling well at the moment and now being maintained on hormone therapy.
I know that everyone is different and so is our disease process and treatments but please keep positive and be kind to your self. Hugs Ann xx
My cancer has come back I’m so distraught and just think I’m going to die. I had it in 2010 I had a lumoectomy and chemo and radiotherapy and this week I was told it was grade 3 and in my lymph nodes x I just worry for my son who is fourteen. I sit here crying every night and not feeling very positive
Hello Donna
Welcome to the forum …it’s such a shock to get dx with secondaries as we all think that the treatment we went through would have sorted it but some of us are unlucky …
Once you start treatment. .things will settle and hopefully you will be able to focus on everyday life again.
My grandson is 14 and it’s a very hard age for boys to take it all in …but I’m sure in his way he will be a wonderful support to you.
Xxx
Hi ladies x although I had primary breast cancer eight years ago they are saying it’s is a new breast cancer but it is in lymph nodes this time x I’m not onsessing it’s spread elsewhere and they can’t do anything for me x I had lumpectomy and chemo last time x tus time masectomy and chemo again xxx just keep thinking my times up xxx
Thankyou xxx
<Empty imported post>
Hi I been told today there is an uncureable mass behind my breast plate x is anyone living with this? Xxx