Hello,
Sorry - more questions from me! But soon I will be able to help others with theirs!
On Friday evening I found out that the biopsy on my lymph nodes came back as positive. I was told over the phone and should have asked more questions as have spent the last 3 days trying to do research online to see what that means. Does it mean it has spread? Might have spread? Might not have spread…?
The main reason I’m so worried is that my consultant and BCN both reassured me prior to the biopsy that some abnormal lymph nodes had shown up on my MRI scan, but that it was nothing to worry about, as it was probably just a result of the infection (with the implication being that it is something to worry about now that I know the biopsy was positive). I’m strong, but hate the fact that the bad news is coming in dribs and drabs (a month of “there’s nothing to worry about, it’s just an infection” to “you have cancer” and then “the lymph nodes are probably fine” to “they’re not”! I’d rather have it the other way round! Bad news followed by good news!!).
I’m meeting my oncologist this week, so know I’ll have a chance to ask all of the questions I’ve been saving up since I got diagnosed…but was just wondering if someone could give me a “dummies” brief overview of what this means…
Thank you!!
x
Look at your lymph nodes as a “safety net”, there to catch the little blighters if any cancer cells decide they want to make a break for it.
If there are positive nodes it’s still viewed as primary, because the nodes have done their catching job.
The next step is likely to be further scans to check that things haven’t escaped, but your onc will explain all this to you when you see him/her next week. They may be bone scans, CT scans, possibly MRI scans. I was lucky not to have positive nodes so haven’t investigated thoroughly what they do, but of course that’s going to throw you right back into The Waiting Room, which is just horrible.
I’m sure there will be others along shortly to tell you their experiences, but don’t automatically think that because there are positive nodes it’s definitely spread. NOTHING is definite with this disease, which is why they have to take a closer look to make sure. So you’re at the “might have/might not have” stage.
Give the helpline a ring on Tuesday as well and talk it over with them, I’m sure they’ll also be able to help you come up with questions to ask your onc.
Hiya- I was diagnosed last week , also have positive nodes, however i had a CT scan and a full body bone scan and all was clear. So i felt better as i have had an MOT !! I now feel i can fight the B/C , and i have a 10cm wee blighter. The nodes are the cancer catchers as chocciemuffin said , thats their job!! xx
Lorna45 - so glad I read your post as my nodes are positive with 4cm ‘blighter’. I had a CT scan on Friday and see the onco on Wednesday. However the BCN said the CT was to provide pre and post treatment pictures - I was a little unsure as most posts on here seem to suggest CT is to check for spread. I went from 13mm and prob no node involvement to ‘about’ 2.5cms with poss node involvement to 4cms and def node involvement so don’t want to hear any more bad news!!! Just want to start the chemo and get on with it 
Fi xx
Thanks for the explanation and reassurance! So the next step is to check that they haven’t spread, but it’s not the end of the world that they’re in the lymph nodes.
Okey dokey!!
Night, night all!
x
Hi no its not the end of the world by any means sweetie. People who have node involvement always have chemo, so that if any of the nasty little cells have started to spread they will zap them and make them disappear! Its called mopping up.
ps love the hair and the photo, you have a lovely smile.
xxxx
Hiya Sandytoes and Fionhun,
on the lymph node front I had two cancerous nodes and therefore got chemo - my aunt had 15 or more positive nodes and lived 30 years post diagnosis!! Re the CT scan - often they are just for imaging so they can plan your radiotherapy cos they use these swanky 3d imaging machines to plan the rads and they do it based on your CT so if thats what the BCN said its (probably!) the case.
best wishes to you, Nicola
Fi,
There are several reasons for the scans and you might have a combination of bone, MRI and CT scans with injections and/or drinks to give contrast.
I’ve heard that some people have them early on if their initial mammogram was unclear so that they can locate and check the size of the lump(s) for surgery.
For those of us that have surgery first then they’re usually to check for spread, particularly if you had affected nodes (I had bone and CT scans between my surgery and chemo), but I suppose they might also spot if there’s anything they missed on surgery. I think this is the most common reason because surgery then chemo is the order the majority of us have our treatment. That’s why you’ve seen it commented on so often on here.
If you’re having chemo before surgery (fairly common, but not as much as the other way round!) they can use the scans to see how much the lump shrinks during chemo so they need a before and after scan. I would imagine they could probably use these to check for spread as well.
There’s also a CT scan done during the radiotherapy planning session when they do your tattoos. That one doesn’t involve any injections for contrast.
There may be other reasons for scans as well but I can’t think of them right now!
Jane xxx
Thanks Jane this site is so great - it’s like having an extended network of really knowledgeable mates 
XXX
Fi xx