Treatment and scanning advice please

Public Archive
1

Hi All,

 

Hopefully someone may have some advice or guidance to help me understand the process and why other tests/scans aren’t being offered.

 

So far the only tests done are repeat magnified mammograms, ultrasound with biopsies of lump and lymph node.  I’ve been told I’ve got grade 2 and suspicious lymph node but probably contained within axilla.  ER+.  FISH test being carried out for HER2 as inconclusive.  The grade may go up with more info from op pathology.

 

Obviously I’m worried coz it’s in the lymph node and only a probably contained.  I asked what other tests could be carried out to determine where else it has gone but was just told that as I’d be having chemotherapy anyway this would kill any cancer cells that have travelled. (wouldn’t test results (bone liver etc) before chemo started be used to compare against results during and after chemo to check if chemo worked)

 

This hasn’t reassured me at all and I would really like to know exactly what I’m up against.  Does anyone know if any further tests/scans would/should be carried out to determine if it’s travelled as the one node has the cancer already.  Some people seem to have had their scans done before the op so they know what they are dealing with sooner.

 

Unfortunately there was a bit of disorganisation on the day I visited the surgeon, they didn’t have all my notes and the surgeon had to do a lot of paper shuffling to give me my results and suggested treatment plan, this has rattled my confidence a bit. 

 

I’d appreciate your thoughts.

 

thanks

Jx

 

 

2

Hi Bas B, Its not until after surgery that they can be a 100% sure what grade/stage the cancer is. I was told after mammagram, ultrasound and biopsy’s that mine was about 30mm in size and grade 2 and 1 node had cancer in. I also had another node that looked suspicious but results after surgery showed that the suspicious one and 14 others were clear. The grade was still 2 but the invasive cancer was smaller than they thought, 17mm, and the rest was DCIS. It’s good that the other nodes look clear on the scan and even if there are others that may have cancer cells in that doesn’t mean that the cancer has spread out of the breast. At the hospital I was under (Royal Marsden) they didn’t give you scans unless 4 or more nodes had cancer cells in. As the surgeon said chemo will mop up any tiny stray cells that MIGHT of sneaked out. I was told for me chemo was like an “insurance policy”  “just incase”  a belt and braces approach. I know it’s all so scary when we are first diagnosed, I was a big wreck but after surgery and when I had a treatment plan it did get better (if that’s the right word lol). 

My HER test also was inconclusive so had the FISH test and that was negative :). Wishing you all the best with your results xx