Hi
are their any survivors with lymph node involment every time I read a survivors story thay are node negative.
love melly2
Hi melly2,
What do you mean by survivors? Do you mean people who are cured or people who are still alive.
I had Lymph node involvement diagnosed 2 years ago and I am still here. I am still undergoing treatment but I feel fit and well.
I haven’t been diagnosed with secondaries but I have had regional recurrences. There are lots of ladies out there who have secondaries who were diagnosed years ago, I hope they will add their encouragements to this thread.
Cheers
Carol
Hi Melly,
I am only fairly recently diagnosed, I was dx with bc in March this year, age 34. I had extensive lymph node involvement and this obvoiusly concerned me very much so I did a lot of digging to find out whats what.
From what I have seen, a person can have no lymph nodes involved and still develop secondaries or have a new primary diagnosis/recurrence. Meanwhile I have heard from many people who had extensive lymph node involvement and yet have so far had no recurrence and are showing NED (no evidence of disease).
Basically, from what I can gather, having lymph nodes involved does not necessarily mean we have a poorer prognosis.
Take care,
Kelly
-x-
Hi
sorry im new to all this I mean people who are still living.I get my result on Thursday I had lump removed and node clearence I know 1 was infected and another was enlarged dont know if there are more until I get my results.I am scared as my mum died of breast caner many years ago I supose I am trying to find someone who will say every thing is going to be ok but I know no one can.
Hi Melly
My friend had a lymph node involved and was also HER+ and she has been fine for the last 8 years since her treatment finished.
My heart goes out to you because I remember how I felt when I was diagnosed its a terrifiying dark place to be in but you will come out the other side.
Take Care
Love Alise
Hi Melly,
I had a node involved. I was diagnosed in April 06 and I feel fine. Please try not to worry (I know easier said than done). I know many women who are the same as me.
Good luck.
Margaret x
Hi again Melly2,
I understand that when you are new to this that you are not too sure what to think or what information to access so there is no need to apologise on this site.
firstly I am sorry that you have to join us but welcome all the same.
My journey started on the same route as yours, I had a lumpectomy and 8 nodes cleared one of which was cancerous.
I read a little too much to start with and ended up scaring myself. The important thing to remember is that BC effects us all in different ways, for instance the stage and grade of your cancer will give the doctors an idea on what treatment to give you. Even with chemo there are different ‘regimes’ they can use. Sometimes only radiotherapy is given with or without surgery.
You will know more on Thursday. The consultant will probably tell you if they are doing any follow up treatment. They probably will with having a node affected.
I strongly agree with Kelly (princes18) having lymph nodes involved does not necessarily mean we have a poorer prognosis.
Take care and don’t read too much,
Carol
Hi Melly2
I had node involvement 12 years ago and want to reinforce what the other ladies have said here - having it in your lymph nodes does not mean that you have a poorer prognosis over someone who hasn’t got node involvement.
Good luck for Thursday
Pinkdove
HI Melly
I had one node negative , just had my first chemo. Basically the onc said the lymph had done its job and captured the cells ! no spread but chemo recommended as it has travelled further than the breast and the tumour was showing signs of wanting to grow.
cally x
hi melly, hmmm well as for node clearence i had 1626 nodes positive year on im still here:ddone all the surgery (for now) chemo , rads twice now on arimidex for 5 yrs recon is somewhere a yr from now.................see! im planning on a recon a yr from now that gives you a idea of survival …oh and try not to read too much into stats they are there to scare the knickers off you…caroleann
Cally - thanks for that posting it has helped me too. I wish my onc had said something like that yesterday!
Carol
Hi melly2
I had 15 positive lymph nodes. It freaked me out at the time of diagnosis. I don’t personally know anybody with such extensive lymph node involvement. This I found very worrying when I was diagnosed on February 2005. However, I’m doing very well with no evidence of spread. I try not to think about my extensive spread. I feel my cancer was a “warning call” to look after myself better and to listen to my body. I now do this and apart from hot flushes and vaginal dryness, which I can live with, I don’t have a lot of problems. Keeping my fingers crossed…
Love
Jeannie
Hi
reading your comments have made me feel much better
went for my results today my tumor was grade 2 with 1 out of 16 nodes positive. ER results not in yet . I had my opp 2 weeks ago and have to wait until next week or maby week after to see chemo consultant then wait for chemo.I read that chemo should start between three and four weeks after the opp will waiting longer make a differenc. I keep thinking that cells are running around my body.
love melly2
Hi melly . I had my 2nd op Sept 21 and chemo started Oct 31st. I had same diagnosis as you .I didnt get a timescale as to when to start chemo but I have always been led to believe any potential growth is very very slow.
Jeannie , I met a lady recently who had all her nodes involved , had chemo and is doing great . that was 5/6 years ago.
The more you read the more you see there are lots of good stories .
Cally x
According to Susan Love (USA oncologist who has written a good solid book on breast cancer…Susan Love’s Breast Book.) two thirds of people with lymph node involvement at primary diagnosis go on to get secondaries, and one third with no lymph node involvement also get secondaries.Most oncologists think that yes number of lymph nodes with cancer is a significant indicator of whether someone will eventually get secondaries. But always remember that statistics are about groups of people, not individuals, and that other factors affect prognosis too.
The reason you perhaps hear of more survivors wwho didn’t have lymph involvement is because yes there are more of them (more diagnosed without involvmenet in the first place as well I think.) I do know quite a lot of people who have gone beyond 5 years who had lymph involvement.
Jane
Hi Melly2
I’m glad to see that you are finding this thread helpful. It’s not at all unusual to worry about the future in your situation, as I’m sure you realise. As well as the support you are getting from the forums you might want to phone our helpline and talk through your diagnosis in detail.
The helpline is run by expert nurses who will be able to give you the most up to date information and sources of support.
You can find out more about the helpline at breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=1777 on this site.
I hope this helps Melly
Best wishes
Katie
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Hi Melly.
I was diagnosed exactly b2yrs today,with invasive DCIS and had mastectomy,chemo& radio from 13dec05 to 30Sep06.I also had lymph node clearance on my right arm and out of 21 taken,4 was cancerous.I am now back at work 3 days a week since March 2007.I just would like to say that doing my arm exercises and phyaiotherapy helped me alot on NOT developing lymphoddoema at all.Even now, i have t remember my arm excercises for circulation of the blood and to avoid stiffness.As you can see from the other ladies’ response,we all surpass this problem,one ay or the other.Eating lots of natural foods with antioxidants helps too.
I hope this info is beneficial.
Rose