Hi all,
my partner has recently been diagnosed with multi focal grade 2 invasive ductal breast cancer with lymph node involvement. She is booked in for pre op on 18th oct followed by mastectomy and all lymph node removal a few weeks later then meeting with oncologist two weeks after that. Have had the tears ,anger and sleepless nights but we are both unable to get the thought that the cancer has spread somewhere else in the body from our minds. Had meeting with breast cancer nurse this week and thought we had all our questions ready but obviously not. Just wondering when we can expect to find out. Is it when we have meeting with surgeon two weeks after op or is it after chemo and radiotherapy which will be about 8 or 9 months. There also hasnt been any mention of scans or tests apart from a chest x ray and blood test at the pre op.
Hi Steve196,
Welcome to the BCC Discussion Forums. I’m sure other forum users will be along soon to offer support but in the meantime I thought I’d post links to a couple of BCC’s information booklets, which I hope will be helpful:
Treating breast cancer:
www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/treatment-and-side-effects/treating-breast-cancer-bcc4
In it together:
www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/diagnosed-breast-cancer/it-together-partners-people-breast-cancer-bcc120
Please do also give the BCC Helpline a call if you would like further information and/or support, Tel 0808 800 6000 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 9am-2pm.
With best wishes,
Anna, BCC Facilitator
hi Steve
i had a masectomy last thurs (29th sept) with full lymph node clearance as they were affected. i saw my consultant on fri 7th oct, so just over a week later. I was told that current guidance is that if more than 4 nodes are affected, you get automatically get referred for further tests. at my appoint on friday i was told 8 out of 13 nodes were affected for me, so i am now being referred for ct scan, bone density and blood scans, i don’t have a date for these yet, but everything seems to happen quickly. i have been told that i will have appoint with oncologist in about 2 weeks time, and will start chemo in about 3 weeks, so i am guessing they will have been done by then
i hope that is of some help to you, good luck to your partner and i’m sure there will be loads of other people who will be able to offer further advice
best wishes
Hello Steve you might find they will get onto doing CTScans after surgery when they have the complete picture of tumour type/ grading and node / lymphovascular invasion. It might be there is a surgical slot before a scan slot. But they will have done bloods which are also a good indication if there are problems elsewhere .
Everybody is treated differently. People think of breast cancer as being one disease, it is not .there are many types and grades and all treated slightly differently for individual reasons. These would be discussed at a Multi disciplinary meeting. This includes the consultant surgeon histopathologist,oncologist, radiologist, oncologist, breast care nurses, research nurses and others involved in your partner’s case. Between them looking at all the facts available they will recommend the Gold Standard treatment for her.
I do recommend giving the Helpline a ring. They can offer so much support to both if you and can enforce this with written information .
It is all so so scary at first, but eventually the fears lessen and hope comes back.I am amazed at the black humour we all have and yet the serious side is interwoven.
I will be thinking of you both
Cackles
PS there is peer support for men too and you can start male Forum threads. My husband found it worthwhile.
Hi Steve
I have multifocal, 3 spots in all, but no node involvement. But I know that the early stages, when its all new and unknown its very scary for both you and your partner. Have to say having a considerate partner made it so much easier for me.
I can only add that I was continually reassured by my friend at work - she had a large tumour, something like 13 nodes involved (she’d had lump for ages but ignored it as she had so much other stuff going on) had chemo first to shrink it, then mastectomy etc. Six years later she’s living life to the full, and is very unconcerned about recurrence. She had all the tests, which are good to have, just hellish going through them.
There’s nothing that can reassure you other than going through the tests and getting the results. I do hope its all good. For a very big percentage of us it is going to be OK and you need to remember this.
Good luck to you and your partner.
Let us know how it goes.
S
X