Just been diagnosed what a mad day!! Waited for my results for a week thinking everything from the best to worst outcome. It’s such a relief to know that it looks like nothings spread. So much info in one day have (Ithink this is correct) grade 2 stage 2 with HEBs and 6cm?? Not quite got the lingo yet. I thought the plan of chemo folowed by an op was a good one but it does not stop it spreading does it so am a bit confused as to the order. Does anyone know? It is scary although I do feel positive and don’t doubt I will get through it. It’s good to come on here and read the forums, nice to know there are loads of supportive people out there who have been there and came back
Hi Jayne, so sorry to here your news it´s devastating I know, on the other hand welcome, i´m sure you will find the forum full of advice.
I was only diagnosed begining of Dec so I don´t really feel qualified to advising you but i´m sure over the next few days you will get plenty of great advice, I know i did.
All I will say rest plenty, take each day at a time, when you go to appointments take a good friend if poss who can take notes for you as I know my head was swimming, and I live in spain and only speak basic spanish, ha ha you can imagine the problems i have had!!!
And from now on remember all is what we call “doable” however bad it sounds you will get through it, the worst to me at the moment is the waiting… This to me is awful but again doable.
Im always here if you fancy a chat, good luck,
Luv Teresa xxx
I’m newish as well, diagnosed start of nov, with op, lumpectomy mid dec…just waiting to start rads, planning session next week…yes we get through it because we have to, but thre are lots of ladies (& gents) willing to give their support…sending you hugsx
hi Jayne, just wanted to say sorry to hear of your diagnosis and welcome. I too had chemo before surgery, i think the size of the tumour is one of the reasons they give chemo first. My tumour was 8cm and i had 4 cycles of EC and 4 cycles of docetaxel, had my last on the 9th december. I spent the entire time worrying if the chemo was working, and after surgery i found out it had actually done quite a good job.
best of luck with treatment
take care
anna
Trust me the initial diagnosis, waiting for test results and waiting for treatment to start is the worst time…once the treatment actually starts you feel better that something is being done and it does actually fly by !
I was diagnosed June last year…and as bad as this sounds I cant remember what my grading was…well that was more to do with the fact that I didnt wanna know. I had a lumpectomy which came back that my tumor was 7cm with 4 lymph nodes invovled. So I then had 6 lots of chemo and have since had a masectomy and am now waiting rads.
I am only 33 so they have thrown the lot at me…which is what I would want really I suppose !
Its been a right roller coaster of emotions…with lots of lows but just wanted you to know although it doesnt feel like it, it does go quickly and it is do able. The support on this web site is amazing and I couldnt have done it without the advice and encouragement that you will get off the girls.
I went back for the results of my op last week and they confirmed that there was not one single cancer cell left in the boob they took off…so fantastic news…looks like the chemo worked ! Still a way to go but just wanted to offer some words of encouragement !!
hi Sal, i think we will be having rads around the same time, i had my planning appt today, i need to go back though for another planning scan. Will hopefully be starting them in 2 weeks.
take care
anna
Hi jayne,
I was diagnosed sept09 with ER+ 6cm tumour, because of my age (43) and the size of the tumour i had to have chemo first.Like you i was concerned about it spreading, but i was told the chemo was given to shrink tumour and kill fast dividing cells (cancer cells).my tumour has shrunk and i’m having a mastectomy 23 feb.Lesleyxx
sal your comment about the biopsy showing not a single cell is amazing. So if I am reading this right the chemo shrank a large tumour to zero? Wow - I am having chemo today and that will be in my mind all the time. Thank you so much xxxxx
Wow thanks for your mails. It really does make a difference that other poeple have and are going through the same thing. I have got my chemo plan but can’t remember what it is. Seeing the oncologist tomorrow so hopefully it will all fall into place tomorrow. So much to take in at one time yesterday.
Jayne - so sorry that the news was not what we wanted… i just wanted to also encourage you and finty with my story…
i was diagnosed in May 2008 with IBC which is one of the rarest and most agressive cancers at the time my tumour was 5.5cm… i had chemo first 4xac and then 4xtaxotare and after my mastectomy all that was found was a 2.1cm x 2mm (so more like a piece of thread…) and even then there were only a few cancer cells along that and even those were dying… it is hard having chemo first as you wonder if it is working but i hope this gives you some hope…
I still do not totally understand why they do Chemo first. My family have said they are not sure that is correct as they are worried it will spread but I can’t back it up with any knowledge except it could shrink the size. Is that the reason or something else?
In America it is very common to do chemo first… (most people have it that way…) and there are some areas here in the UK where the oncs have decided to do the same for all their patients regardless of tumour size etc… here in the UK it is mainly used on large tumours to try and reduce them in size before surgery and is always first with IBC the type of cancer I have… Sometimes it means that they only have to do a wle (lumpectomy) rather than mastectomy although that can’t be guaranteed… Another benefit is they scan you after the first few cycles so can see if the chemo is working and if needed change to another type… (some oncs might just decide it is working as they can feel the tumour is getting smaller…) In a way if you have chemo after surgery it is a leap of faith that the chemo is working and getting any stray cells…
I hope that helps abit…
Also remember about the helpline on here - it is manned by breast cancer nurses as well as cancer patients and your family can also use it if they want to discuss any fears or questions they have…
I think the reason to have chemo first is purely to shrink the tumour, which will make surgery easier. Chemo works by destroying fast dividing cells and is designed to mop up any potential spread, so will be working on the tumour as well as the rest of the body so any chances of spread are minimised. If your team wants to do it this way round, it’s in your best interest.
Jayne I wouldnt worry about having the chemo first…I asked my onc to have a mx first before giving me chemo and he told me that because of the size of my tumor and because it was in my lymph nodes they wanted to give me chemo first.
Finty your right I had a lumpectomy first which took out 7cm of tumor but there was still cancer left inside…and was also advised because of the lymph node involvement it would have more than likely spread…which is why they wanted to get started straight away on the chemo Jayne cos this attacks any stray cancer cells anywhere in your body.
In my case looks like they knew what they were doing cos the chemo worked and the boob they took off had not one single cancer cell left which gives me faith that if I did have any stray cells that didnt show up on the MRI that they will have been zapped too.
I left it in the hands of the proffesionals and they didnt let me down…they are obviously giving you chemo first for a reason. Just hope my story gives you some words of encouragement.
Take care, Sal
Oh and by the way I was informed today Anna that my rads will start in March! Youll have to let me know how it goes xx