My 76 yo mum has been newly diagnosed with estrogen receptor negative breast cancer. She had her mastectomy with all her lymph node removed 10 days ago. She came through the surgery brilliantly and has been doing her physio regularly and her movement etc is great. We were with the surgeon today and were told the following - The tumour was an inch in size and an area of 8 cms was involved around the tumour, 15 nodes were infected. My mums bone scan was clear. She’s to get 5 weeks of radiotherapy , but at this stage no chemo because they feel that the benefits may be outweighed by the side affects.
She is waiting for the results of her CT scan and will get those next week at her first oncology visit,which will be next week.
The surgeon was really non commital about things and flew in and out of the room before she could draw breath to be honest!
What’s the relevance of this kind of cancer and I’ve read about staging on here. Can anyone shed any light on this for me.
Hi Anna
So sorry to read your Mum has had to go through all this - my Mum too had a mastectomy and lymph nodes removed (age 78) so I do understand what a worry it is.
I am not much help at giving you the information about staging, but I do know that some of the ladies on here will gladly explain it all.
Best wishes to you and your Mum and I just thought I would ‘bump’ this for you.
Esbee
so sorry to hear about your mum. the last month or so must have been worrying for you waiting for her results and operation. Heres a few answers from a lay person happy to be corrected by anyone with more knowledge.
oestrogen negative means they are unlikely to give her hormone therapy because her type of cancer will probably not respond to it.
the fact that 15 nodes were infected means that the cancer is trying to get out of the breast and into the body. The nodes do quite a good job of slowing that down, but if they have not managed to keep it amongst themselves the first place cancer usually goes is the bones, hence the bone scan.
There are different cocktails of chemotherapy drugs available with different side effects and different lengths of treatment and different levels of effectiveness. The team at your hospital will have looked at the type of cancer and what chemo might work and then they would weigh up how much your mum would suffer if she took those drugs against how much the treatment would increase her chances of not having a re-occurance. If there were any doubt which way to go they would pass the choice back to your mother, but in this case they sound to have a certain answer.
Radiation is not that bad. If she has got dry old skin like mine you might suggest she starts moisturising now. right from round the back and accross towards the other breast and well underneath. She needs to think about what she is allowed to put on the scar, I think bio oil is allowed, but do check with her breast nurse.
The main thing about radiation is how much of her day it will take up. She needs to be encourage not to be trying to keep on with her normal routine and to fit it in. Radiation fatigue can hit some people and it does seem better to allow for periods of rest.
Its a disgrace that you were left feeling that the surgeon did not have time for you, and you have unanswered quiestions. I hope and expect that next week the oncologist will treat her better and answer all her questions fully.
I am glad she is recovering well from the op. She is lucky having you there to support her. If you think of any more questions do come back on here an ask away, someone in a similar situation will be along to answer
Hi Anna,
Sorry to hear about your Mum but glad she has you for support.
Really good that her bone scan was OK.
Until they have the next scan results it is too soon to say exactly what stage she is at, if you don’t have it clearly explained to you both at the next appointment, you could phone up the Helpline and tell them the info you have been given at that time. They are really friendly and helpful.
I found the above link from the information side of this website very helpful at this early phase of finding out about it all.
The multi disciplinary team of surgeon, radiologist, oncologist and breast care nurses have probably discussed your Mum’s situation before and after surgery, but until all the results are in, what is recommended may still change.
It depends on whether there are changes anywhere else, and on your Mum’s general health. My oncologist was initially not keen on giving me chemo (I was 65 at the time of diagnosis last year) but once he saw me and checked things over with the doctors dealing with my other health problems decided it was worth while which was a relief to me as I was not suitable for hormone therapy as oestrogen receptor negative like your Mum. I was not suitable for radiotherapy because of lung problems.
They usually put all our information into a computer programme called Adjuvant Online, which then predicts what percentage improvement we might get with chemo compared to no chemo, in relation to survival and recurrence. If the difference is very small they do not recommend it.
I hope some of that helps,
Best wishes to you both
Lavender
xx
Thanks to those who replied. This is so bloody unfair! My mum has battled all her life, in one way or another life has been so tough for her. She’s suffered years of domestic abuse at the hands of my useless father and mental and physical illness. She didn’t deserve this - but then again no one does. All we ever wanted was for her to have a few years at the end of her life in peace - but she may not even get that. So angry. Sorry for the vent!! My heart is broken.
Well we had the appointment with mums oncologist this afternoon.
Mummy has estrogen receptor negative BC. They said the tumour was 8 cms and that 15 out of 17 lymph nodes were affected, they graded the cancer as T4 N3 M0, both her bone scan and ct scans are clear.
I’ve had to look that up on the net to see what it means.
They’ve said that chemo would only make a difference of about 5% and because of all her other health problems including asthma and high bp, they don’t think it’s worth the risk, for now anyway, if things were to spread they would only consider her for a 1 drug chemo as opposed to the usual 3 combi.
Her radiotherapy is due to start in about 3 weeks. She’s feeling great, healing well and enjoying her grand kids!
When we were with the oncologist I had a load of questions about prognosis, life expectency etc, but once I’d looked at mummys face when they said the scans were clear, I decided I didn’t want her to hear,and they didn’t volunteer.
So for now we’re happy the scans are good and we’ll just take it as it comes x