I am a daughter of someone recently diagnosed with TN breast cancer. This past week my mother was told that the red devil was not going to be able to be tolerated, since it had been 4 weeks after the first 12 treatments of chemo her tumors in breast and lymph nodes in axilla area are able to be felt again and we should speak with surgeon to see how to proceed. However, a PET scan was performed and found out that she had some mets to the pleural lining and area on right lower lobe of lung.
We visited a surgeon and decision was made to remove the left breast and lymph nodes in axilla area. To me we are missing the elephant in the room the mets that is now in lung and around lung. Has anyone else had this experience, did we make right decision. I am a nurse (not oncology) and it seems to me that we are removing some cancer but it has spread and putting her through something that she may not need to endure. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I hear what you are saying about the Elephant in the room. Taking off the breast and lymph nodes is part of the solution but is it the best use of her time right now or in the right order of things that need to be tackled?
We do tend to get on to an “assembly line” with NHS treatment. They could be offering you the breast / lymph operation as that could be scheduled quickly (i.e. that is the assembly line you are on)
It may that you need to be referred to a doctor who specialises in lung cancer or metasatic cancer and they plan to do this after the operation. It may be that a change in her chemo regime would help. You might need to see these two doctors together.
This is what I would be thinking of anyway but don’t have the experience to know.
Personally I have found it hard to take in or make decisons when given new information in one appointment. I need the information to be given, an opportunity to ask questions and then go off and researc / mull it over and then back to talk again.
Don’t be frightened of asking to go back. Find out if there is another consultant who deals with this type of cancer. Ask questions about the order this needs to be tackled in and what the alternatives are.
When I needed to be seen again I phoned my consultants secretary and spoke to her.
and ask the relevant questions - I feel sure, you may find some of the answers there, which you are looking for.
In my limited knowledge - here always would be the question of how your mother feels about it all. And although initial treatment may sound drastic and could be challenging - it may help to still give her many years of a quality life. I would also like to point out that a mestatic breast cancer is not the same as lung cancer - so her surgeon and oncologist will be the best source of reference.
To me, no medical experience, but having gone through this, the initial option appears to be the right one. Only once the removed tissue has been through pathology is the final diagnosis of the actual cancer known and can contribute to decisions for a treatment plan. So post surgery I guess you should be seeing the oncologist, who should be able to answer all of your questions and suggestions for further treatment to ensure best quality of life and perhaps even remission.