Hi girls, I was diagnosed with bc 19 Sept, and had surgery last Thursday -mastectomy with ANC level 3. The surgery was under the advice of a second consultant and I was told this was the normal protocol. However, when I was diagnosed I was with a different consultant and he advised me to undertake chemo first, then surgery, rads, herceptin. As I have only just started on my journey and there are so many of you who are very knowledgeable about this awful disease I just wandered if anyone can tell me what approach is the ‘norm?’
I get my results from the surgery today and should have more idea when chemo will start.
Hi Andrea
I dont know what is the norm, but I had chemo after surgery, I was given a choice and when I said to my consultant this was the route I was taking he said he had hoped I would take that one, not sure why…I made my decision on the basis that I wanted the blighters to be zapped after the lump being removed, as I would have worried that they were still there otherwise and I dont think I could have coped with an operation after chemo, I have found it very wearing and get very tired.
Hope this helps
Love Pam XX
Hi,
No “norm” as such, depends on the cancer, the consultants and ultimately you. I’m doing the chemo first, for me it is ‘right’ as it has given me a bit more time to get things like nighties etc
As to being knowledgeable - i think most will tell you it’s a very steep learning curve, I really knew precious little before this happened.
all the best
Ruth x
Sometimes it seems chemo is given first where there is a large lump. Otherwise, I’ve no idea why. I had surgery first, and was never given any other option.
Good luck with your results
I had chemo first. My consultant took this approach as my highly aggressive fast growing lump was 5cm and would have meant a mastectomy if I had surgery first. He wanted to see if it would shrink with chemo so that there could be some conservation of the breast. It worked as my tumour shrunk to about 7mm after 6 x FEC and last week I had a lumpectomy and axillary clearance.
However, you have to remember that there is no such thing as “breast cancer”. Everyone is different and will react differently to treatment.What worked for me may not work for you. The approach my specialist took might not have worked for me - luckily it did
Good luck
Sharon x
Hi there
I agree with sharon, i have a grade 3 invasive ductal cancer and my lump is 2.5 cm , i have chemo 1st, then WLE and rads, i went with this as my onc said it was best for me as my cancer was agressive, dont lose sight of the fact we are all individual i would worry when i read some ladies were having lump removed first, my lump has reduced in size with chemo and will make surgery easier , put your faith in the professionals and try not to dwell on other peoples treatments.
keep strong
love galen x
Hi Andrea,
I am so sorry you’ve had to join us but ‘welcome’ to this most awesome site. I was diagnosed with bc on Mar 19th, age 34, and had my right mastectomy and total axillary clearance a week after diagnosis. I started chemo in may, then its rads, hormones and Herceptin for me. Phew!!!
As you can see from the responses you’ve had already there really doesn’t seem to be any ‘norm’ when it comes to treating us!! Every hosp, and even every Dr seems to have a slightly different way of doing things! Most ladies at my hosp seem to have their ops first, whereas other hosps seem to prefer chemo first. There’s absolutely no rhyme or reason to it sometimes.
I wish you well as you start out on this journey. I hope your results appt goes ok today, do let us know how you get on,
Take care,
Kelly
-x-
Hi Andrea
I had large lump (8cm) that had grown very quickly while I was being referred and having inconclusive tests. Due to this my consultant insisted on immed mastectomy + SNB which he then changed to level 3 clearance during surgery, I wasn’t given a choice but had heard the BCN question why I wasn’t being offered chemo first, personally glad he took this route as path labs revealed 15/20 nodes affected, for me if chemo hadn’t worked then it could have been worse. My Health authoity offers both, I think it depends on size of lump, how long to be diagnosed and if they think nodes are affected.
Debbie
I have 2 lumps, the larger of which was originally 5x4cm. My initial thought was that I wanted to get them out of my body ASAP, but weighed against that was avoiding the mastectomy and not worrying about what the stray cells might be up to in the extra month or so before the chemo would start. I am happy with the decision I made, though clearly I have no idea how affected the lymph nodes were originally. (Doc said he could feel one enlarged which probably meant they were affected)
I have only one chemo left to go now and surgery will be in a month, then rads. Hopefully that means the hard bit is behind me and it’s easy peasy from here…
I get another ultrasound/mammogram next week for surgery planning so will see how I’m doing then.
mousy
PS I truly hope they don’t wheel me down the corridor without a hat on…
mousy - eeeeeek, i didn’t think of that - i too would not want to be wheeled ANYWHERE without a hat !!! When i go for surgery i shall have to mention this.
Hi
I was diagnosed in July with grade 3, 6 out 8 oestrogen aggresive 30mm lump - had a WLE and ancillary clearance - no node involvement. Just had my second round of chemo.
I think it depends very much on the consultant and the diagnoses. Just by reading these comments it seems everyone is different and the treatments and options given vary tremendously.
I wasn’t given a choice, which to be honest was probably best for me - i’d still be dithering now!
Good luck with what ever you choose.
Lyndsey x
Note to the ladies who are worried about being wheeled to the op theatre without their hats - I was allowed to keep my scarf on. Although, ironically after the op I took it off and didn’t put any covering on my head again till I left. It helped that I could tell my hair is coming back but I think it allowed me to come to terms with sometime having to face the world “commando”
Sharon x
Hi Sharon
Hope you’re still online - have been wondering how you’re doing, as we had our ops on the same day. Funny you should mention going to theatre bald - this was one of my worries, so I was allowed to keep my bandana on, and they put one of those lovely blue theatre hats on top - nice.
Anyway, let me know how it all went - I don’t know about you, but I’m still sore and have a lovely yellow and purple “boob” (or not boob as the case may be - lol) !
Julie
xx
How rude of me !
Sorry Andrea, I was so pleased to see Sharon’s name on here, that I completely disregarded your original question - please forgive me !
Like the girls have said, each Consultant is different so don’t worry why you’re having your treatment different to anyone else. My tumour was quite large, so I too was recommended chemo first to shrink it down, followed by mastectomy (last week), then I’ve got rads and herceptin to follow. The chemo worked brilliantly, my Consultant told me the tumour had completely disappeared, but due to the size of it, and my “small breasts” (their words, not mine - I thought my 36B’s were ok!), a mastectomy was still recommended.
Anyway, hope your appointment went well - please let us know how you got on !
Love Julie xxx
thanks girls for that - knowing that i won’t have to paint a target on my crown is a huge relief!
great to have you back with us Julie, sounds like you’re doing really good 
hugs
PS if you bring the washing in before hubby gets home they think it dries miraculously 
Thanks girls, your comments show there are many different routes.
Ok, back with results and I have 14 out of 21 nodes affected. Sounds like an awful lot to me, but my consultant is confident that all the cancer has been cut out. Even my husband thinks this is good news! I also had a CT scan yesterday which was clear. So now onto chemo to deal with any remaining cells. I am seeing the oncologist on Friday and by then we will know what type of cancer we are dealing with.
A question - if I am HER what do the positive and negatives mean, and how many + and - mean what exactly??!!
Good luck to whoever reads this with coming up tests/treatment/results.
Mousy, so glad you have only one chemo remaining. You sound really well so sure the next treatments will be a breeze!
Kelly, I have read a few of your blogs and do you also have one more chemo to go? Good Luck. I also see you are a keen golfer. I just wondered if you managed to get the energy together for a round of golf during chemo, or were you spectating?
A xx
Hi Julie, thanks for your comments. I had my mastectomy + ANC last Thurs, hope you are recovering well and managing post op exercises ok.
I have three children, my youngest is 14 months. Not being able to pick him up and give him a cuddle over the past few days has been difficult as he has been poorly. Hopefully not for much longer as each day passes I have more movement.
Axx
Hi Andrea,
don’t be worrying about all those lymph nodes, not trying to ‘out do’ you but I had 25 out of 28 affected!!! All scans have so far shown no evidence of disease and my surgeon is more than confident that he got rid of all the bad stuff, so if he’s happy then I’m happy. Please rest assured, having lots of lymph nodes involved doesn’t mean its gone elsewhere. I’m glad your CT came back clear, waiting for results is just horrid! I do hope all goes well with your onc appt on Friday.
Re: HER 2 status, if you are positive it means basically that your tumour is more aggressive and rapidly growing than others. HOWEVER, again this is not something to be worrying about as those of us that are HER2 + (such as me) are given IV Herceptin every 3 weeks for a year. This is like our extra insurance policy and counteracts the fact that we had a more aggressive tumour. Herceptin effectively puts us on an even footing with those that are HER2 -.
The first few days after chemo I am very much a spectator when it comes to golf, and its so frustrating. Sometimes I’ll practice my putting but can never do much range wise. By about day 5 I’m usually able to play the 12 hole par 3 academy course at our club without too many probs, although I always have my lucozade with me!! Once I’ve got the first week out the way I’m usually good to go for 9 holes, although I have had to buy an electric trolley and I don’t always play every hole.
Hope that helps.
Take care and best wishes for fri, do let us know how you get on,
Kelly
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Hi All
Just home from hospital had my masectomy last Thursday and results next Wednesday. My Onc. insisted on Chemo first so he could see if he had given me the right dose. My cancer was very agressive I had a 5cm tumour removed by Lumpectomy and had two new 5cm. each tumours in two weeks of surgery.
All the best to everyone.
Val
welcome home Val,
I do hope you are being pampered now you are back.
take care
Val 
x