Just had surgery for Stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma ER+ with 3 lymph nodes removed which were all negative. The plan was radiation therapy and hormone blockers. Unfortunately, my tumor apparently was larger than expected which changed plan to Chemo then radiation. Feeling a little freaked out. All the doctors were so pleased in the beginning now they are concerned especially since I also have genetic defect which increases chance of recurrence. Trying to take deep breath’s and not worry but it’s hard.
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Hello lavalady.
I’m so sorry to hear what you are dealing with. Breast cancer is hard enough to go through anyway, but when the goalposts change it is even more difficult. I think you begin to question medical science, because the diagnostic process is not entirely precise, and only the histology is definitive. I was diagnosed with a 11mm, grade 3, er+, lobular cancer, no nodes, and had a lumpectomy thinking that was it. Histology revealed a 43 mm, multi focal tumour with 3 affected lymph nodes. The tumour was mostly occult. I chose a mastectomy and node clearance and had chemo and radiotherapy.
I’m pleased to tell you that was 17 years ago and I remain fit and well, despite going through the whole lot a second time with a 25mm ductal tumour in the other breast 6 years ago. That one had not shown up on the mammogram 5 months before I found it. I ended up with a lot greater faith in the treatment process than the diagnostics!!
So lavalady, assuming you choose to go with it, you will be immersed in that world of chemo (horrible but survivable) and then radiotherapy (easier than the chemo in my experience) and finally the hormones (prepare for menopause if you’re not already there) and hopefully one day, like me, you will look back and wonder how you survived it all, but so glad you did. You will find support on this wonderful forum every step of the way, or on the helplines or the “someone like me” service. You will also know who your best friends are and I hope you have a few waiting in the wings.
I wish you all the best for a smooth path in the months ahead
Hugs and love from me 
Eily
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Thank you so much for not only sharing your journey but helping me hold faith in the treatment process. Understanding at times things will change. I wish you continued health and happiness. 
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This can be why the grade is as important as the stage and also size affects stage. 2cm is a threshold point where it is deemed a stage 2 even without lymph node involvement ( 2a, as the stages are subdivided).
Mine was thought to be 1 cm so a stage 1b, but actually was a 1c as 1.6 cm - still feel lucky as not given chemo for it, but also because the grade was 1 also. Had the IDC been a mere 4mm bigger, I would probably have been given chemo, just about got away with that. Although it does leave you wondering if chucking everything at it would of been better, so what you’ve had never leaves your mind even without chemo.
@lavalady - It can feel very frightening when diagnosis changes but I found mine changed a few times and it seems they don’t really know what they are dealing with until
Either full range if biopsies are examined and chemo is given first or surgery is performed and the breast tissue is examined thoroughly under a microscope …
I was diagnosed last July with what my surgeon termed “early breast cancer “ I had high grade DCIS which they initially suggested lumpectomy for , then they wanted to do further biopsies and it was another five weeks before I was told I had DCIS throughout my whole breast (multifocal) with a 1.1 mm her2 Invasive … so the suggestion was a mastectomy and I’d be unlikely to need further treatment despite being her2 as it was only 1 mm …. I had my surgery three weeks later and the results were a shock … there were seven sneaky little invasive tumours , all grade 2 , all under a cm but suddenly I was told Herceptin and chemotherapy was on the cards and I’m not afraid to say I cried because I was so frightened .
On the day of my first chemo I had a tearful meltdown in the chair as the nurse was doing my obs and they were so lovely … but the reality that while hardly pleasant , chemo was doable and when it came to it I wanted to take everything they could throw at it .
It is the fear of the unknown though , and the fear is real and perfectly understandable x
Please chat to your breast nurses if you need to talk through your chemo regime . My clinic have a link breast nurse who loaded with oncology and he was sent up on my first chemo day to give me a bit of moral support and it was much appreciated .
You can also contact the breast nurses here
The Breast Cancer Now helpline
Call us free on 0808 800 6000
Our opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday — 9am to 4pm
- Saturday — 9am to 1pm
Calls are free from all UK landlines and mobiles. To make sure everyone can contact us we have access to a telephone interpreting service, in over 240 languages, and the Relay UK - prefix is 18001
If the helpline is closed, you can leave us a message with your name and number. We’ll call you back as soon as we’re next open.
If you have a question but prefer to receive the information in writing, you can email our nurses instead.
Arty1
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Hello Arty1,
I was diagnosed with her2 positive bilateral breast cancer in 2023. I underwent a bilateral lumpectomy in Feb. of 2024. After surgery I was informed the cancer, which they believed was 1cm in each breast turned out to be more wide spread in both breast. My doctor informed me that a double mastectomy would be required…not up for discussion. Thankfully none of the cancer spread to my lymph nodes.
I went through chemotherapy (Taxol/Herceptin together), it was rough, but God got me through it, along with a great support team. They initially thought radiation would be part of my treatment… but thank God it was not.
I had to do a year of Herceptin, without the initial Taxol treatment as in the beginning. I just finished it last month. I am still fatigued from Herceptin and can’t walk or stand for long periods of time. The runny nose has ended, but my body is still not functioning as before.
I am glad that you are doing better and things are improving for you. I pray your health will continue to improve.