I got results and an outline of the recommended treatment plan today. I’m 51, had left mastectomy/axillary clearance and DIEP recon on 1 March. Took a notebook and when the conslt spoke I forgot to ask questions and forgot to make notes. My ex-husband, my best friend and very supportive, came with me, but didn’t know what I wanted to ask.
3 lymph nodes removed at Sentinel Node Biopsy, and 24 during surgery. One from SLNB and one from the main op had microscopic traces of dodgy cells. Why did he take so many out? Tumour Grade 2 thought 2cm from ultrasound was really 3.5cm, 6cm with the pre-cancerous cells around it. It’s ER+ but HER2-, forgot about PR. Does it matter? Will have Tamoxifen, but not Zoladex - why? I must be close to menopause? Advised chemo “Anthracycline; >4 cycles >2 agents”, then rads and hormone therapy. Survival stats exclude rads - why? See oncologist Saturday to discuss. One drug WILL be epirubicin so would lose hair. I do NOT want to do this…
Hi,
I’m nearly finished my treatment now, last Herceptin in 2 weeks.
I found it useful to type a sheet of questions to ask the surgeon or oncologists the day before my appointment was due. This would get me focused on things and meant I was able to ask things calmly. I have had my husband at every appointment as my concentration levels were so bad on chemo I would forget what the doctors had said about half an hour later. Quite often my onc would tell me not to take notes as she would give me a handout explaining the treatments etc., these were issued by my hospital as standard before chemo or rads started. Don’t worry about going in with a sheet of questions as they doctors are usually amenable to this and they like you to be informed about your situation.
From what I’ve read, if lymph nodes removed at the SNLB are found to be clear, then no more need to be taken away. However, if any show cancerous cells, remaining lymph nodes in that arm will be removed because the cells may have spread to those. The number of lymphs nodes varies from person to person. I had all 14 of mine removed although all were found on examination to be clear of cancer.
Is it a tumour with DCIS that you have? That is what I had - 2.2cm oestrogen receptive tumour and 1.7cm DCIS. I was about a year younger than you at diagnosis, still menstruating. I was prescribed 5 yrs of tamoxifen. Not everyone has zoladex. If you look up ZOLADEX on the SEARCH at the top of the page you will come across other threads relating to this.
Cherub’s suggestion of taking along a list of questions is a good idea - it is easy to go blank, as you know, when you are asked during the consultation if there is anything you want to know.
Good luck and best wishes.
Thanks for suggestions, I am putting together a list of questions to ask the oncologist when I meet him on Saturday to discuss the proposal that I should have chemo followed by rads and tamoxifen. I think I’d convinced myself chemo wouldn’t be necessary and feel I’m watching this happen from a distance.
I saw the plastic surgeon today to have the reconstruction checked and fluid drained off, and he explained that if SLNB results suggest more lymph nodes should be removed, it’s just a ‘chunk of tissue’ that is later examined and may contain, for argument’s sake, anywhere between 10 and 30 nodes or more - the surgeon doesn’t count out individual ones to remove, which is rather what I’d imagined! There has been no mention of DCIS, I was told after the core biopsies that it was a Grade 2 invasive tumour, 2cm, and now the breast has been removed the surgeon said it was actually 3.5cm, with pre-cancerous cells around it extending to 6cm, so mastectomy was definitely the correct recommendation. It would help if all surgeons used the same language, wouldn’t it! Good luck with your continuing treatment. Lyn xx