My mum was diagnosed with grade 3 invasive ducal cancer of the breast today. The FNA of a lymph node in the armpit also contained the cancer. I have a few questions that some of you may be able to answer. It was only weak er+, pr- and her2 -. As its only weak er+ is this considered triple negative? The nurse said that as its only a small biopsy, when they get more tissue it may show more receptors? Anyway my mum is having a CT scan first (apparently the norm when starting chemo before surgery), an MRI of breast, then the chemo.
The worst part is the CT scan. So worried about that.
Has anyone had the procedures in this order? At what point do they decide to operate? I believe at the end of the chemo or earlier if not good response to chemo.
The consultant said chemo first to see response of tumour and how effective it is, not because they assume it’s spread beyond lymph node.
I am in the same boat, although mine is grade 2 and HER2+ but I am also having MRI then chemo then surgery. I was given the same reasoning as your mum.
I was diagnosed last month, grade 3 and in lymph nodes too. Having chemo first and the surgery. I had the ct scan the day after I was diagnosed and was a bloody nervous wreck! Just knowing why they were doing it was enough to set me off crying every 10 mins I think! It’s common to do it though, it’s not because they think it’s spread, they just need to be 100% sure. I got the (all clear) result the next day from my breast care nurse thankfully so I could have a (relatively) stress free weekend! So fingers crossed your mum won’t have to wait long to get her results cos the waiting is the hardest part of all this.
Thank you both. Pleased to hear your scan was clear. How did you know lymph nodes involved? Did you have FNA? Do you know how many? I’m sure I’ll more questions once I have time to take it in.
When I had my original ultrasound they scanned under my arm and found a mass. Think I knew there and then the results wasn’t going to be good! The day I was diagnosed I had a biopsy of the lymph nodes and they said it was pretty certain it had gone there, and got my results the same time I got my ct results. But they reassured me that it’s not the end of the world that’s it gone to the nodes, pretty typical of a grade 3 tumour and they were just doing their job - stopping it going elsewhere!
They didn’t tell me how many, I’m assuming I’ll find all that out when I have surgery and have them removed. I am hoping the chemo Zapps the nodes good and proper!
Thanks again. I think I knew my mums wouldn’t be the best news either when they did a FNA. Just need that clear scan so I can be as optimistic as you :-).
Do you know what your er, pr status is? Xx
