Hello there
My 41 year sister was diagnosed on Wed 21.03 after finding a lump and visiting her GP 2 weeks ago. She’s booked straight in for 1st oncology followed by 1st chemo on Thurs. I think also full scan next week. Masectomy and radiotherapy to follow. I don’t know full details of results but know there are signs in her lymph being enlarged in an effort to fight this. What I’m really worried about is why she is going straight to chemo before surgery. Is this because they already think its spread because of the enlarged lymph. We’re devastatingly worried. We’re utterly devasted and terrified of the unknown. I desperately want to be a rock and support her through this. I know we’ll hopefully know more after next week. How quickly do you normally get results from the scan. Once she has her chemo dates I will definitely recommend she logs on to share experience with others going through this. Really inspiring stories so far I’ve read here.
Hello
So sorry to hear about your sister, but DON’T PANIC!
Practices vary round the country, but it’s becoming increasingly common to have chemo before surgery. I’m sure more knowledgeable people will be along to share their experiences, but my understanding is that a) it may mean your sister can have a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy b) they can judge how well the cancer is responding to the chemo.
This is a horrible time - struggling to come to terms with the diagnosis and with all the uncertainty of what lies ahead. It does get better. Once you know exactly what you are dealing with and have a treatment plan it all becomes alot easier somehow.
Encourage your sister to sign up - there’s already a ‘Starting chemo in April’ thread where she can get support and was experiences.
Good luck.
Dx
Hi there,
I had chemo before Mastectomy and Radiotherapy after my diagnosis last July. The tumours were Grade 3 5cm x 2 (I’m small breasted so these were considerable critters for me) but no node spread. I had a node sampling op first then straight onto chemo. They said that the chemo could shrink the tumours making the operation to remove them easier. I scoured the internet at the time and the statistics of success and survival were no different by having chemo first as by having it afterwards from what I found so this did seem the sensible way round. After chemo and the op one of the tumours had disappeared altogether and the other had shrunk to 8mm.
I hope this gives you and your sister some reassurance. I am now post radiotherapy and ready to go back to work shortly with fingers and everything else crossed, of course!
Jan
x
Hi, so sorry to hear about your sister but you have found the right place for both support and advice, this is the worst part of all of it being dx and waiting for test results is really stressful and can make you extremely anxious once she’s started the chemo and the plan is in motion she will start to feel better in her mind. What sort of scans has she had? I remember waiting 2 weeks for my results. I had chemo before my mx to shrink the 6cm tumor the chemo did shrink it down to 2mil it made surgery easier in the respect that they could then get clean margins again my boobs were small so this made all the difference, hope this helps.
Love and light to you and your sister
sarahlouise xx
Hello,
I’m 43 and was diagnosed with breast cancer last May. I also had chemo first. I had a tumour in the breast and also a tumour in the lymph nodes. The surgeon was concerned about possible difficulties removing all the cancerous tissue in my axilla - hence the chemo first (neoadjuvant). I finished chemo then had mastectomy and node clearance followed by radiotherapy. The tumour had shrunk so much that I only needed the mastectomy because of an area of precancer. After surgery no traces of cancer were found in any of the tissue removed. I’m now well on in my phased return to work. The stage that your sister is at now, with shock at the diagnosis, scans and waiting for results, was the most difficult for me. I hope you get results quickly and the treatment started soon. Very best wishes for your sister x
Hi I’m 41 and have just had the first FEC chemo 9 days ago of my treatment prior to surgery in the Autumn. This is because my tumor is a big 60ish mm brute (due to stand-in Drs misdiagnosis of a blocked milk duct last year!) and if they were to operate they couldn’t be sure to get all the cancer tissue. By having chemo first they can see how the tumor reacts and adjust the chemo if necessary. It might be in my mind but I can feel it shrinking already!! I have grade 3 which although is the fastest growing also has potential to shrink the fastest too. Before they confirmed the treatment plan they asked how I felt about the tumor inside ie did I feel the need to ‘get it out’, which I said I have no particular feelings towards it either way really.
I feel much happier having the chemo first because in my mind wherever the cancerous cells are in my body I know the chemo’s going to get it, whereas if I’d had surgery first they could be floating around for longer doing mischief I wasn’t aware of. Just to add I had a portacath fitted for the chemo treatment which has been brilliant now I settled down with it (felt a bit weird to start) and yesterday did a whole days trail-hunting (on horseback)with jumps. Best therapy ever!! Keep the faith all xx