I had my surgery (WLE and SNB) on Friday and the nodes were negative. So far I’ve been told the tumour is Grade 2, and 2 cm with surrounding DCIS and I am ERPR negative. The HER2 status is 'unknown 'at present. I am anxious to know whether I am triple negative or HER2 positive.
I have my post op consultation on Wednesday (11th) when I will be given my treatment plan which I assuming will be chemo (because I won’t be having hormone treatment) and radiation after that.
My breast is swollen and red and beginning to be itchy as well as sore. I have been told I can take off the dressings tomorrow so the wounds can breath. I also feel very tired, despite sleeping really well. I want to start going for walks over the next few days and maybe consider driving, but at the moment I don’t feel up to it.
At what stage can they determine whether there is vascular invasion? I assume there isn’t as nothing was said post surgery.
Who will I see at the post op consulation? I hope someone will check the wounds to see if they are healing ok. I also hope I will see an oncologist as well as the surgeon.
They can determine vascular invasion in the path lab, so when you go go for your appointment on 11th, I should ask them about vascular invasion. I had it, but didn’t find out until three quarters of the way through chemo. That made me cross because my cancer was ER+ and PR+ and I was told I could have chemo if I wanted it, but didn’t have to if I didn’t (even though I was a grade 3) I did say yes, and I’m glad I did now I know about the VI. But when you have chemo, that should get rid of it for you.
When I went for my post op consultation, I saw another surgeon, not the one who did the operation. He looked at my scar to see how it was progressing. He gave me anti biotics as there was a little redness and he was concerned about an infection brewing. He also told me I had one node affected out of three. The oncologist appointment will come a little later, as chemo can’t start until your wound is fully healed. Good luck for your appointment, take someone with you and a notebook and pen. Write a list of any questions you may have and jot down the answers.
Thanks poemsgalore. I have been thinking about the arm pain and have concluded it might be to do with all the times I had my blood pressure taken while I was in hospital. When I was in the recovery room I was vaguely aware of the sleeve on my arm pumping up on a regular basis and squeezing quite hard. I was in there for 5 or 6 hours, longer than expcted as I was having trouble with nausea. I think that might be the reason for the swelling.
I took my dressings off today and everything looks ok so I don’t think there is any wound infection. I also drove my car for the first time as I needed to go and pick up a prescription. Not only that but I managed to wash my own hair. Up to now my daughter has helped me. All this felt like great acheivements today so I am obviously on the road to recovery. The only thing I haven’t done yet is wear a bra! It feels like the last thing I want to do is encase my poor breat in tight fabric!
Now I just have to wait for the appointment on Wednesday. I do hope I get all the information I need and I can get a copy of my pathology report!
I had my results today. Lumpectomy and snb was 30 August.
It’s stage 1, grade 2 IDC, clear nodes and no vascular invasion. However, it i, as I expected, triple negative and also apparently apocrine, which I have found is a rare kind of breast cancer. I understand this won’t affect my treatment though.
I am seeing an oncologist on 30 September with a view to starting chemo in October. This will be 4-6 months followed by radiation. I have been told I will be off work for 9 months. I teach so this makes it more difficult to maintain while undergoing chemo due to infection risks.
I am posting a link about apocrine cancer in case anyone else is affcted by it and wants information. I can’t find anything on this website about it.
My name is Judith I am 63 years old and have been diagnosed with breast cancer I have had my surgery 2 weeks ago
to remove a lump and all my lymph nodes under my arm I have had the results of the surgery and my was grade 3 which is the aggressive one. I have been told the surgeon removed all the cancer but I have to have chemo I have a appointment to see the oncologist on the 23rd Sept 2013 to discuss when my treatment will start I also have the hormone which has to be treated as well and I am told this will be given with the chemo its all very scary is any one at this stage that can give me some advise and support.