Hi everyone,
My sister was diagnosed about a month ago with stage 3 IDC, the tumor was 6.5cm across and out of 26 nodes removed, 17 have been affected, she starts what the nurse described as a cocktail of chemotherapies, which are to last for 18 months. My sister is 23, im just wondering if anyone has heard of anything this aggressive, is it as bad as it sounds?
Any help or advice would be very much appreciated!
Hi englishc and welcome to the forums,
I thought you and your sister may find some of couple of Breast Cancer Care’s services for younger women helpful, firstly, the ‘Telephone Support Group’ for younger women, this has been developed specifically for women in their 20s and 30s who have been diagnosed with primary invasive breast cancer. The aim of the group is to give you the opportunity to talk privately and confidentially to other women around the UK with similar experiences.
Secondly the ‘Younger Women’s Forum’, these provide information and the chance to meet others in similar circumstances, these two-day events are for women aged 20-45 who have been diagnosed with breast cancer during the last three years. For more information on these and Breast Cancer Care other support services either call the helpine on 0808 800 6000 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 9am-2pm
or email:
The following link will also take you to some of our publications about breast cancer and younger women which you both may find useful to read, you can order them online or via the helpline on the number above:
breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=5256
I hope you both find this information helpful.
Best wishes
Lucy
Hi there,
Didn’t want to read post and run…
I was diagnosed in April this year with BC and have had a mastectomy and currently having chemotherapy…I’m 25 so a little older than your sister but my tumor was 7cms in total so very similar size… I’ve had 6 lots of chemo, 1 every 3 weeks and have 2 more to go then 5 weeks of radiotherapy. I’ve not heard of chemo lasting so long but so much is said to you all in one go it could be possible that you’ve got a little confused. However, everyones cancer is totally different and dealt with in many different ways depending on a number of factors so don’t panic as whatever treatment is thrown at her she’ll deal with and it’s all part of beating this nasty disease.
I hope you are coping ok, sometimes it harder for family/friends/partners as they feel so helpless…Just be positive for her and give her all the love and support she truly deserves right now-and keep us updated too!
Big HUgs
Lauren.x.
Hi,
I was 23 when I found my lump and am currently have chemo… I was a grade 3, with node involvement and was triple positive. I was told that mine was particularly aggressive and am having 6 TAC chemos and 5 weeks of radio… I agree with Lauren that I haven’t heard of anyone having 18 months worth of chemo before but I know from my hospital that especially being on the younger side that they give you everything they can to prevent it reoccuring…
I also assume that if you have this information about the tumour that it has been removed and your sister will be about to start chemo… has she had a CT and bone scan yet which I assume she will have because of the lymph node involvement?
I do not think it is as bad as it sounds, its such a rollercoaster and you and your sister will be given so much information that its so overwhelming but your sister will be fine! It might take a bit of time but she’ll have her treatment and get better.
This website is a godsend too! I joined the day or so before chemo to prepare myself and the support I’ve received has been amazing! If your sister hasn’t been on here and wants to talk to someone a similar age you can point her in my direction!
It must be so hard for you too but you’re making positive steps because you need to be strong for her so make sure that emotionally you’ll looking after yourself too!
Erin
xxx
Hello,
Im older than your sister, I was diagnosed Dec 05 at age 37, stage 3c, 8cm 15/20 nodes.
My treatment was 4 FEC, 4 Taxotere, 18 Hreceptin and 25 rads in the middle + 5yrs of tamoxifen, perhaps this is what your sister is having, I started herceptin alongside the Tax so my visits to the chemo suite were every 3 weeks for 16 months although herceptin isn’t a chemo.
Its a long old slog, my sister and girlfriends kept me sane by taking me on lunches on good weeks or just out walking miles to blow away the cobwebs.
I’m approaching my 3 years and had clear scans last year so hoping the long old slog was well worth it and it done its job.
Look after your sis (she is far too young)
Debbie x
I am so saddened at you young girls getting a horrible diagnosis like this, its not bloody fair to have to go through this in your twenties, I thought I was young at 31 but you girls have it so much worse as body image is far more of an issue at your age.
Just wanted to say I am now 36 and a five year survivor of a horrible diagnosis and a pretty poor prognosis (multi focal disease and 7 nodes involved) so it can be done, please remember science is moving forward all the time and if you are going to get a cancer diagnosis now is the best time, I just wish our government would pull its finger out and make all the new drugs available for all.
Good luck and many hugs
xxx
Thanks for the replies everyone,
Its really good to know that there are other people who understand what this is like to go through, unfortunately my sister and I lost our brother through leukemia, so unfortunately its not our first experience of cancer in the family. Turns out its 18 weeks, not months, which is a relief 
but Im waiting to get more information about her diagnosis, she’s had a partial mastectomy so far, but the pathology report revealled that the surrounding tissue had tumor cells present as well. The doc said that the chemo will attempt to shrink and remove remaining malignant cells. She’s still to get an actual break down of her condition, but its a slow and arduous process…
Thanks again for your kind words and support, i’ll keep you updated!