Hi there I am a little confused here, I was told that I have to go for a mastectomy after widespread DCIS and small area of IDC. I am a little confused as my doctor says that I do not need chemo even although they found one node positive.
Has anyone else heard of this.
Lots of Love maz
xxxx
Hi Maz,
I’m so sorry to have to say hi, but you are at the right place to get some help. I’m afraid I can’t really advise you as I am still waiting to get results from my surgery to see if nodes are clear, but I thought by replying it will keep your post at the top of the board so someone else may be able to help. I would ring your Breast cancer nurse today, she will be able to hopefully get you some answers. It is horrible not knowing, and waiting, but this forum is full of lovely folks who will help if they can.
Good luck
Love, jude x
I was told by my surgeon that I would not need chemo., just rads. (I was node negative). When I saw the oncologist, he said I definitely needed it as I had a grade 3 tumour. If your surgeon is giving you this information, remember he is not the expert on adjuvant treatment. The oncologist will be the one to say yes or no. From what I have read here, people with node positive cancer have chemo. But there maybe exceptions.
Hello - There are lots of factors which go into deciding if chemo would be a good move for you.
If your cancer was only grade 1 and if you had no vascular invasion then it is probable that the %age gain you’d get from chemo would not balance out against the damage to your health. Chemo isn’t routinely given for DCIS or very small amounts of invasive cancer. If you are ER+ then you will get considerably more benefit from hormone therapy anyway.
I have known of other women with a positive node who have not been offered chemo.
Good luck.
Hi Maz,
As a grade 3, nodes 3 girl, just to confirm I had chemo (before surgery in my case). My ultrasound at the start showed one node ‘enlarged’ which felt ‘totally normal’ after six rounds of chemo but when they did the mastectomy they found what they termed ‘pre-cancer’ in three nodes (I had lymph clearance).
I would ask to speak to an oncologist to confirm - and you are allowed a second opinion if you want one. Some people seem to be told no chemo and then after surgery things change… I don’t think it’s an ‘exact science’
Hope you get some assurance soon. Take care.
The other thing is that if your one node just had micromets, that is classified as “negative” so that might be the reason. But of course the only way you can find out what your own situation is is to speak to your BCN or more specifically your oncologist to get a fuller explanation.
Thanks all for u great response it makes me feel so much better
it’s interesting what u say about micromets Chocciemuffin, i was told no chemo until they found micromets in 2 of my nodes then they told me i needed chemo. They kept going on about me being young (49!)& said the cancer had shown the ability to spread. Mind u i haven’t seen my onc yet,this was just the consultant saying this. I did notice on my path report that it said something about vascular invasion, is that the same as node invasion or does that mean that it’s managed to sneak into the bloodstream? It’s all very confusing,lol
Different oncs, and the NICE guidelines, it’s never straightforward…
Hjv,
For a start 49 is young!
This links to the page explaining path reports with further clickable links to explain the difference between nodes being affected and lympho vascular invasion.
The programmes that the oncologists use to work out whether or not it is worthwhile putting us through chemo have boxes to fill in for all of these things, so that they can say what percentage difference chemo makes.
It is all clearer when you have seen the oncologist usually, I think.
Signed someone who wouldn’t mind being 49 again!
Lavender
my hosp is stopping treating micromets aggressively and treating them as node negative… in the same way they treat LVI as negative.
they give chemo for large tumours, high grade, young age, if you need herceptin, hormone receptor negative etc or a combination of these elements.
they take it all into account before deciding and wouldnt just withhold chemo on a whim… the benefits have to outweigh the risks or there is no point having it so in your case the risks may outweigh any benefits you would get from it.
Lulu x
bumped for dizzycloud–this website is sooooo slow today
thanks oldandlumpy, you are a treasure xx