I am 3.5years out from diagnosis, Triple Negative, no nodes. Had a routine Breast MRI on Tues and was called back for an ultrasound on Thurs. They have taken a biopsy and I will get the results in one week. From the way they were talking and all the sympathetic looks, they are fairly sure its a new tumour, right beside the same place as I had my lumpectomy. Its only 1cm, which I hope means its hasnt popped up anywhere else in my body…
I’m really shocked, just wasnt expecting it.
In particular it means neither the chemo nor the radiotherapy worked.
I know a mastectomy will be the treatment and thats fine, but dont know what else, presumably more chemo if its hormone negative and they’ve already told me I cant have any more radiotherapy to that area.
Can anyone tell me what treatment they have had in this situation?
Thanks !!
Hi - I am in a similar situation, my recurrence was about 2cm outside the radiotherapy zone. I had a mastectomy with immediate TRAM recon just over two weeks ago. Mastectomy nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be but am sore under my arm - nothing painkillers cant handle though 
My new boob even two weeks out if pretty damn good and they will do a lift on the other one after chemo to make it match.
Its a horrible road to travel on again but if you dealt with it once you can do it again. I didn’t have chemo last time but will this time once my wounds are all healed up.
Stay strong, remember the waiting is the worst bit and not all lumps are cancerous.
Oh and remember, local means exactly that, it also means in most cases very treatable…they also have loads of different chemos for triple negative ladies now.
Ruby.x
Hi Ruby,
My latest is that is a new tumour, very small <1cm, which I am hoping means the b*gger hasnt had a chance to spread! I’m having a PET scan tomorrow, Friday and I think they will give me the results on Tuesday next. As you rightly say, the waiting is torture!
Next Weds I am going in for a Sentinel Node Biopsy as it will determine whether I need full axilliary clearance when I have the mastectomy. If I need full clearance I cant have recon at the same time…
The BC nurse did say that they have lots more tratment for 3N than they did 3 years ago and she said that a huge amount of focus by the profession is in the area, whereas a few years ago it was all on Her-2/Herceptin. So that is some bit of consolation I guess!
Delighted to hear you are doing so well after the Op.
Katie x
Hi katie
sorry about your reoccrance but great news that it’s been caught early. Really hope your pet scan is clear + ur snb. Will be looking out for an update next week. All the best
tina x
Hi Katie,
Sorry to hear the news was not good, but it could have been worse - the PET scan will hopefully put your mind at rest about spread and once you get your mastectomy over with you will be well on the road to being better. I also need axilla clearance as when they did my mastectomy they found one dodgy lymph node, I have been given a choice of radiotherapy or more surgery probably after chemo.
Recurrence is really bloody scary as I am sure you know by now, but - and its a huge but. It is very treatable if not curable, and IS curable in loads of cases - thats what I am banking on anyway! I have three kids (12, 15 and 20) a grandson, a lovely husband and two crazy dogs to deal with - I am going nowhere!
Keep you chin up, keep smiling when you can and remember there is humour in every situation - sometimes you just need to look hard for it
Ruby.xx
It’s 3 o’clock in the morning and I can’t sleep - my mind is in overdrive. I was dx in 1998 with BC and had wlx and rad + Tamoxifen. Have had one or two scares over the years but all have proved negative. Tonight I have found a very different hard lump in the same breast and I’m so frightened. It feels like deja vue - when I was diagnosed in 1998 I had just moved house a few days prior to the diagnosis and I have just moved house a few days ago and I can’t believe that I’ve found this lump. Have just found this web site and thought I would write in to try and quiet my mind down.
If anyone else is awake I would be really grateful to hear from you.
Hi Eedie,
I know the feeling well,
You know what you have to do dont you, but it doesnt make it any easier, and the 3 o’clock in the morning thing doesnt help, hopefully it will just be another scare and prove to be negative again, you have done everything right so fingers crossed for you,
I had my original diagnosis 11 years ago and found another primary in the opposite breast last November, I am 45 and got 3 children so no plans to go anywhere for a long time yet lol,
Think positive, be strong and face it full on,
sending you all the very best keep us posted, lots of love Liz xxx
Hi Eadie,
Yes, sometimes it is weird how things seem to repeat themselves; I was dx with a regional recurrence 4 years after original dx at almost exactly the same time in the year, and just after starting a new job, which was exactly what had happened before . I found mine by complete accident - just scratched an itch one morning and there it was - it felt like the end of the world to me, but I am still here to tell the tale! As Liz says, bite the bullet and start the process - hopefully it will be nothing to worry about, and if it is then it is such a good job that you found it.
Katie - hope all goes well for you! Its not a nice path to travel again, but it is do-able.
All the best to you both, Mo
Hi Katie
Sorry to hear about your recurrence. Good you caught it while still small.
It stinks, going through this twice. I had a recurrence diagnosed 5.5yrs after primary last June - unfortunately in 3 lymph nodes and spread to soft tissue.
I had a mastectomy, although there wasn’t any spread in the breast tissue, axillary clearance, chemotherapy, radiation to chest wall, axilla, neck and back. I didn’t have treatment first time round, other than WLE.
What sort of chemo did you have last time? If you didn’t have it before, perhaps you’ll have Tax this time.
Wishing you masses of luck for getting rid of those cells ASAP. xxxxxx Jane
Hi,
Well its ‘D’ day tomorrow - I will get the PET scan results. Hopefully no spread…It will give me a real lift if the news is good.
I will keep you all posted.
Thanks for the support!
Katie x
Katie fingers crossed for you… im hoping you get good news… well at least the best news you can hope for.
i had a new primary grade 3 TNBC in the opposite side 3 years after getting a grade 1. the second one although bigger and more aggressive hadnt spread… i ended up having surgery 3 years to the day.
Lulu
Good luck from another triple neg-I am now 4 and a half years post dx and already dreading my 5 yr mammo in October-wondering whether to ask for another type of scan at same time as mammo-have always said no thanks before.
Wishing you all the very best.
Valxx
Hi Katie
been following you quietly, thinking about you. Hope all goes well
monica (another one with a recurrence)xxx
Hi Girls,
Well the good news is that the PET scan is fine - it did show something on the liver but they convinced me there was nothing to worry about and a liver MRI has confirmed that all is good. I had a Sentinel Node Biopsy on Weds and will have the result during the week. Hopefully there is no lymph node involvment and I can get a date for the mastectomy and reconstruction operation.
Feel like I am in a weird limbo very hard to plan anything. I’m trying to keep busy so the time doesnt drag!
Katie x x
Great news Katie. Hopefully won’t be too long till you get your op date.
Lxx
thats great news Katie, I’m so pleased for you xxx