Hi,
I was dx in Feb 06 with multi-focal breast cancer. It was grade 3 and 3/12 nodes involved. I underwent 6xFEC and 13 Rads…6 months on Tamoxifen and then switched to Arimidex just over a year ago.
Has anyone else experience of multi-focal breast cancer? I understand that I had multiple small tumours but don’t know much more about it than that and it’s not something that I have seen come on this site.
Would love to hear from anyone who has come across this,
Sheana x
Hi Sheana,
I had one tumour that measured almost 10cm - I was also Grade 3 and had 7/10 nodes involved, prior to surgery I had 3 x AC (was supposed to have 4 but it stopped working) followed by 4 x Taxotere, this particular chemo shattered the tumour into 2 pieces of 2.5cm and 1cm with scattered pieces between and my Onc told me it was Multi-focal, must admit I had never heard of it before. The end result of this was that I had to have a mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy, which I was always told would most likely be the case, but the cancer was fully excised from the breast. I also had 5 weeks of radiotherapy and am now on Tamoxifen and having Herceptin for a year.
Sorry I can’t be of more help, but there are a lot of very informed ladies on this site who will come up with more info, I’m sure.
Very best wishes,
Tracy x
Hi Sheana
When I was diagnosed with BC in November last year the ultra sound showed up one tumour. When I had a WLE the pathology came back with three tumours, and two satellite bits (Grade 3). Nodes were negative but I had lympho vascular invasion. There is quite a lot of info on the internet if you want to look! As far as I can make out, the main discussion is what difference it makes to have more than one tumour. At the moment when doing staging the docs take the measurement of the largest tumour. There is a thought that a more accurate prediction is made by adding up the size of the individual tumours. I got my onc to give me my stats on both calculations. But hey -they’re only figures! Had chemo (3 FEC and 3 Taxotere) and 30 sessions of radiotherapy (last 5 are booster doses). As the multi focal tumours were not expected, and I had had a WLE (clear margins) I had a MRI after the surgery just to check the rest of my breast - that came back clear. Now just getting on with the whole thing like everyone else! Very best of luck. Sarah x
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your comments.
I have noticed that lots of people have had the combination of FEC and Taxotere…I only had FEC…any ideas why that would be. Obviously we all want the best and most effective treatment when dx so I wonder what the difference is. And you also had more rads…mind you, I have a friend who is a radiologist and she says that we all get the same dose…just broken up differently…i.e. diluted I suppose when you have more treatments.
Sheana x
Hi again Sheana. I think that FEC and Taxotere in combination for primary breast cancer has only fairly recently started to be widely used following extensive trials. I see you were diagnosed in 2006 and at that time FEC would have been a very usual treatment (and still is for many women). As to the radiotherapy, not sure about everyone getting the same dose, I thought it did vary a bit. I am having a total of 60 gy - 50 gy over the whole breast over 25 sessions, and 10 gy as a “boost” over 5 sessions to the immediate area around the scar. Have you just started thinking about all this recently - or has something made you a bit worried? Please let us know if we can help. Sarah x
Hi Sarah,
No, nothing has worried me in particular…I think since I have started coming on this site I have become aware of the many different treatments available. This got me wondering about the treatment I had…was it the best available etc…why was that chosen for me…etc. The person to ask is my oncologist which I will do at my next appointment. Saying that…is there any point because what’s done is done. I can’t go back and redo it all.
I suppose now that I’m just over 2 years since dx I’m going through a phase of wondering if I will get a recurrance because some people seem to say that the first 2 years are critical, some say 3…then I’ll read something saying that someone had a recurrance after 5…6…or 7. It seems as though you just never know. I deal with that sometimes quite well, other times I can find it difficult, which I imagine is the same for all of us.
There is a thread on here somewhere where people talk about survival statistics…when I asked my oncologist that when I was dx, she refused to be drawn…saying ‘we don’t talk statistics’. Her explanation was that the published findings are very often old studies therefore not relevant to be used against today’s treatments. She also said that even using those statistics, some women will present with a poor prognosis and are still around many years later while others with a good outlook are sadly no longer with us. As I said before, you just don’t know.
I think as a person I’m not good at ‘not knowing’…give me good news or bad news and I’ll deal with it. Not knowing is tough for me but I have no choice in this case.
Sheana x
Hi Sheana
I was dex with multifocal lobular cancer in Feb this year. It is Grade 2 and 6/21 lymph nodes. I was told no option but mastectomy. Original ultrasound showed three lumps 1ins, 1/2 ins, 1/4 ins. On operation this turned out to be two. 5cm and 2cm. I am having 4 TEC & 4 Taxotere and 15 rads, I have been told FEC/TAX combination only approved in last six months.
Hope this helps
Hi starfish,
Thanks for that. You will see from my post that I was commenting on survival statistics…have you seen any for multi-focal cancer? Did you ask about them?
Sheana x
Hi Sheana
I have not seen particular survival statistics for multi focal. I have been given none and offered none. Make of that what you will.
Like someone else has said I think they base it on the largest tumour. I feel my prognosis is not good. But I have heard worse and people still going 5 years later NED. I have heard of excellent prognosis where it has come back. At the end of the day I do not think they can really say. Just give us the appropriate treatment and hope it works.
I hope this does now sound bd. I am a realist I feel. I do not know what positive means? I just try to be hopeful and hope the treatment works for me and now try to make the most of each day.
There is no getting away from it it is a dreadful disease and so much luck comes into it and I feel that particularly for those of us over 50 we are lulled into a false sense of security with the mammograms which are not helping the majority from what I have heard and seen of diagnoses in the over 50s.
Hi Starfish,
Nice name by the way!
I feel that I’m pretty vague about my dx really when I read what others write on this site. Originally I was told that I had a tumour of 9cm which totally freaked me out…then, some months later, I found out that the 9cm referred to the area of DCIS and within that, I had multiple tumours, hence, multi-focal…now the vague bit…largest tumour measured 1.8mm ish not sure about the others…how many etc.
Perhaps after over 2 years I shouldn’t even be going here with the conversation, what am I achieving? Nothing I have to say, but this disease never leaves me as in the mental aspect. I still trawl through the internet looking for god knows what…just punishing myself really because it’s never good reading.
I should learn…leave it alone and try and get on with living my life, whatever it brings and however long it lasts.
Sheana x
Hi Sheana
I understand where you are coming from. It would be nice to be told now you have had treatment you will live to 80. But they just do not know. In fact no one knows. We could die from something else entirely. I do not know how old you are - i am 56 and in some ways think I am very lucky to have got this far and never been ill - making up for lost time now. Anyhow after about 50 anyone of us could have a sudden heart attack or stroke let alone cancer. At least with breast cancer there are many treatments i guess.
I was originally told a mixture of lobular and ductal and very much smaller tumours. All of which was incorrect. I do not know why they seem to drip feed info and most of it seems so inaccurate. I actually asked for a copy of the first letter following diagnosis sent to my GP so that is how I know above. They did not even say approximate sizes. Again I do not understand that either. They do not seem to cover themselves which seems surprising in this day and age when people sue right left and centre.
I have heard that lobular is more likely to be multifocal. Was yours lobular?
Starfish x
HI Starfish,
I haven’t a clue if my cancer was lobular or not. As you say, the ‘experts’ are very reticent with the information that they give out after dx…and yet when surgery is completed and they have the pathology report surely they must know exactly what they are dealing with? I had a mastectomy so they had my whole breast to examine…god, I don’t know what to make of it all.
I’m 46…47 on the 8th July so have a birthday coming up. I was 44 when dx on Valentine’s day in 2006, a single mum with two boys aged 14 and 9 so it was a nightmare of a time…as it is for everyone. My dad became ill at the same time and sadly died a week after my first chemo so the nightmare got worse. Just when you think things can’t get any worse they do!
But I’m still here to tell the tale!!
Sheana x