Questions for the Consultants

Hi all

I am due to go back to hospital for the results of the grading of my cancer and possible future treatment.

I always go armed with questions, often they are answered before I need to ask them so that’s a good sign that the Consultants are used to certain questions.

I only discovered this sight on my third recurrence of BC in 18months and have found it to be full of useful for comments and advice.

So ladies and gentlemen I am going to call on your support, perhaps first I will give you a very brief tour of my treatments and then questions I think I will ask. Then perhaps you ladies/gentlemen can add any further I should be asking.

I am triple negative.
I found a lump in my left breast and when it was biopsied I was told I would need a lumpectomy and 8 lymph nodes clearing. One lymph node was involved. This was followed by FEC x 6 radiotherapy x 25. One year later a lump under my arm revealed a further lymph node involvement so I had a total clearance. I was not given chemo because they didn’t think there was clinical evidence to justify this, as they put it ‘FEC didn’t work so lets save the big guns should you need them at a later date’.
Six months later another lump appeared in my left breast, I had a CT scan to check for secondaries, luckily none so I have just had a mastectomy.

When I go back to hospital I expect to be told whether this was a new cancer or a recurrence of the primary cancer.

I will ask -
Will I need chemo, if so what regime? How will it effect my chances of a longer remission
If no chemo why no chemo? I was told that the cancer would not travel back down from the lymph nodes after the full clearance.
If it is a new cancer what does that actually mean?
What grade/ stage is the cancer?
Is there the possibility of this cancer appearing in my right breast. If so shouldn’t I be considered for a mastectomy as a preventative measure?

I have heard that Taxotere is a powerful drug against BC can that be considered?

Thanks ladies, I look forward to any advice you can give me. Bye the way I will not want to know my prognosis. I asked my NPI Score at my first consultancy, I didn’t like the answer, the recurrences have lived up to that score but luckily to date they are classing this as region recurrences rather than secondaries.

Carol

Hi Carol

I have no words of advice really. Just wanted to send you my best wishes as you have obviously been through it the last couple of years. Cant think of any other questions for you to ask your onc. I personally have not asked about prognosis and dont know if I will before my treatment is finished.

Sending hugs and wishing you all the best.

Fiona
xx

Aw thanks Fiona,

I have just replied to a link with peppermintpatty and said I don’t really feel I have been through too much as I have dealt with something worse, very sick children, who now are grown and healthy!

I am just glad there is so much treatment available to us at this time.
Take care
Carol

Carol - I nearly lost my daughter to illness at 13yrs old last year - something completely out of the blue - thankfully she has made a full recovery - but if we can get through something like that we can get through this (even my daughter said that to me!!)

Fiona
xx

Hi Carol

I too can only send my best wishes, I hope everything goes ok for you, they say these things are sent to try us and my God they certainly do…

Lots of hugs
Pam

Thank you ladies

I am upbeat at the moment that why I have started to think about the next appointment. I have just done my exercises and can raise my arm quite high now. I will just be happy when I can drive again to get me out to Derbyshire for my long walks.