I was diagnosed with 2 types of cancer. ER & HERS2 neg. To cut a long story short i ended up with a mascetomy. Lymph nodes were all clear. Consultant happy they had removed all of the cancer. I didnt need radiotherapy or chemo, which i was happy with at the time. Im on Tamoxifen for 10 years. Im now worried that due to not having any treatment that reoccurrence or secondary breast cancer is highly increased? It was never really explained why i didnt have treatment. This is causing my anxiety to spiral, the unknown is terrifying.
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Hello Neb
I would give your bcn a call and talk through your worries, she should be able to give you the reasoning, As I understand it radiotherapy isn’t always given with a mastectomy unless it’s a large tumour or was close to the chest wall or skin. Feel reassured that if your were high risk of recurrence then radiotherapy and chemo would have been given,
Alison x
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Hello, sorry you’re feeling like this.
I was treated for estrogen positive, HER2 negative, no lymph node spread. I had bilateral mastectomy and no radiotherapy or chemo needed.
I am on letrozole for five years then tamoxifen for five.
My oncotype score was such that no benefit of chemo.
I also have some periods of anxiety and worry about secondaries and I actually started some macmillan/Bupa therapy last week.
I think one of the things we touched on was me spending a lot of time googling and actually being on this site can sometimes make me panic. I will have no thoughts of secondaries and then I read something and it sends me down a rabbit hole.
I am weaning myself off (yet here I am 
) and trying to just think about how if I needed chemo or radiotherapy, my surgeons would have spoken to me about it. I could have had chemo and still have a recurrence- but just trying to push the negative thoughts away.
Sending you relaxing thoughts xx
Unfortunately, my cancer nurse is not approachable. She makes u feel a burden.
Thanks. Thats reassuring to read. I must admit i never use Dr Google, my own thoughts are scary enough ha
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I also had a mastectomy and Lymph nodes clear, I was diagnosed 4 years ago, I had a low oncotype score of 9 (chemo wouldn’t be of benefit) and am on Tamoxifen, which may soon be changed due to the menopause. It is scary that we haven’t had the medicine that makes everyone else better but I have to trust they know what they are doing.
I was recently told by a Breast Care Nurse that taking Tamoxifen as prescribed reduces your risk by a higher percentage than chemo and radio combined.
Something I would like to have known before I decided to have chemo.
I think at some point, if you have faith in your team, we have to trust in the science they base their decisions on.
I hope you get some reassurance.
Lynne xx
Thanks 
its good to hear x
Thanks xx thats reassuring
Hi
2 years ago I was diagnosed as ER+, tumour was 2cm and had a lumpectomy with clear margins and no spread to lymph nodes. My oncotype came back that I would benefit from Chemo. I proceeded to have 3 x EC and 3 x Docetaxel followed by 19 rounds of radiotherapy with boost and 10 years tamoxifen which I have take religiously
A few months ago I was getting quite a lot of pain in my back and initially thought it was a pulled muscle or slipped disc. Had a private MRI scan done and this came back with metastases to my spine. Needless to say I was shocked as I had done literally everything I could.
Further scans have showed no sign of the disease anywhere else and the big question to me was Why? Have been told this is extremely unusual.
It is now incurable but controllable. Meds have been changed now and I am trying to stay positive. And yes google does not help in the slightest if you don’t want to become depressed. Taking each day as it comes now and waiting for further treatment to start.
I try to be of the mindset of whatever happens is meant to be and no matter what you do if something is meant to happen it will regardless.
Sending hugs xxx
Sending my love x
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Hi neb
Thanks for posting on our forum
We hope to be able to respond to you by the end of Monday.
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Lisa
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Hi neb,
Thanks for posting.
It sounds as though you are having a difficult time with anxiety related to fear of recurrence.
As @Alik @LynnHM mention, treatment recommendations are tailored to your individual situation, and whether you are offered chemotherapy or radiotherapy depends on a number of factors including the grade, size and stage of your cancer.
It might help to know that treatment recommendations are agreed by a multi-disciplinary team. Your treatment team may also have used a computer programme such as NHS Predict to estimate what benefit might be expected from treatments such as chemotherapy and hormone therapy. You say that that you’re worried about increased risk of recurrence having not had treatment. It may be reassuring to understand that surgery and hormone therapy like tamoxifen are both effective to treat and reduce the risk of a breast cancer recurrence.
Nearly everyone who has been treated for cancer worries about it coming back (recurrence) and you’re not alone in being anxious about this. The uncertainty and fear of breast cancer returning is very real. At first, every ache or pain may frighten you, but most people find the anxiety lessens as the time goes on. You may find the above link on anxiety after breast cancer has some useful information to help you manage your anxiety.
Some people may benefit from talking therapy, such as counselling, to explore ways of managing these worries and concerns. You can speak to your GP or treatment team about this. Or, as @lynnc123 mentions Macmillan/BUPA provide free counselling sessions are available for those with a cancer diagnosis. Mindfulness can also be helpful.
It can be difficult if you feel your breast care nurse is not approachable. If you have further questions about your treatment plan and risk, you can ask if there is another breast care nurse to speak with or discuss with your GP who can refer you back to the hospital if needed.
We offer a range of free supportive services for anyone who has had a diagnosis of breast cancer which you may be interested in. They include face to face and online courses and events.
Do call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to more support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks. The number is 0808 800 6000. If you have hearing or speech difficulties prefix our number with 18001 and the call will go through Relay UK. Our helpline has access to telephone interpreters if language translation is required.
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Best wishes
Natasha
Breast Care Nurse
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