Hi
My name is Anita and I am 41 years old, married with a son aged 8 called Jack. I was diagnosed on 18.3.08 and had surgery to remove the tumour on 25.3.08 along with some nodes. My results did seem positive to me at first (all tumour removed and 11 out of 12 nodes were clear) but after seeing the oncologist yesterday for the 1st time I found that I was desperately upset/frightened that my cancer is not hormone receptive and that it is the ‘harder’ one to beat. I’m afraid the ‘fog’ then set about my brain and with going on my own lost the ability to ask questions. I have been set 3xFEC and 3XTAX and no other therapies.
I was wondering if there is anyone out there who has same type and is going through chemo that can share and alleviate my worries?
Hi Anita,
Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care forums where I am sure you will receive valuable support, information and advice from the many informed users of this site.
Breast Cancer Care have written a ‘Resources Pack’ for anyone newly diagnosed with breast cancer which you may find helpful to read, it is filled with information to help you better understand your diagnosis, test results and the various treatments available. You can order a free copy from the following link or you can ask for a copy to be sent to you via the helpline.
breastcancercare.org.uk//content.php?page_id=7514
There is information in the pack about our other support services, including our helpline, tel no 0808 800 6000 which you may find useful to use at some point if you need to talk anything through or just need someone to lend an understanding ear. Alternatively if you prefer you can use email: <script type=“text/javascript”>eval(unescape(‘%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%69%6e%66%6f%40%62%72%65%61%73%74%63%61%6e%63%65%72%63%61%72%65%2e%6f%72%67%2e%75%6b%22%3e%69%6e%66%6f%40%62%72%65%61%73%74%63%61%6e%63%65%72%63%61%72%65%2e%6f%72%67%2e%75%6b%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b’))</script>
Kind regards,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi Anita
Sorry you have had to join the club, but you will get a lot of support on here. It sounds like your tumour is triple negative, that means not receptive to hormones or heceptin. There are lots of women on here who have triple neg tumours who I am sure will reply. My understanding is that triple neg responds very well to chemo. So yes there is hope out there. Good luck with your journey, I am almost two years down the line, chemo and Heceptin finished, life does go on, hang on in there and good luck with the treatment.
Love Geraldine45
Thanks Geraldine
I have spent over an hour on this website and have found ALL the information very interesting/informative but most of all the forum extremely UPLIFTING.
I can’t wait to chat to other women who may be going through or have gone through the treatment…it sure does give me hope!
Thanks again
Anita
Hiya Anita
I was dx triple neg in Dec 2006, had 4 x Epi, 4 x CMF then 15 rads. All my treatment finished in Aug 2007 and I’m now back at work and feeling well. Had my first annual mammogram in January and it was clear - phew. I know it’s scary not having any ‘back-up’, but, in a way, you can move on a little quicker, no hospital visits or ‘prods & pokes’, so life gets back to ‘normal’ (whatever that is). Please don’t feel alone, there are a lot of us triple neg ladies and we have all been where you are now. Trust me, it does get easier, and I can honestly say, it’s not the first thing I think about when I get up in the morning (it was for a long, long time). Once all the treatment starts, things just seem to fall into place and you seem to go with the flow. Looking back, I can’t believe how fast it went. Don’t read anything scary and don’t listen to statistics, they are just figures, we could fall either side and there is no reason why we will not be alive and kicking in 20 years - I fully intend to be. If anyone wants to take me anywhere, they’ll have to take me kicking and screaming lol.
If you need anything, just yell. We’re all here for you.
Love & BIG hugs
Julie x
Hi Anita
Sorry to hear you have joined us. Can I ask did your Oncologist say “it was the harder one to beat”.?
I am triple negative and from what I understood from my Onc he said of course its all about surgery, chemo and rads.
This triple negative has always been about…the only reason its called that is because they know there are 3 other tests they can do and so if you are negative on all those then hence the triple. My BC nurse said they are finding out more and more about BC and who knows how many more tests will be about in the future.
Please try not to be afraid of this result. The cancer has gone and yes it was in one lymph node but then that chemo will blast you well and good. This triple negative is no worse than any other BC. Its early days for you I know.
I was only dx this Jan at 43, 26mm tumour and 2/13 nodes had cancer and I still have dark wobbly days but then I think…right here and now all that I have counts. I am going to be here in 20yrs+, I am going to moan at “youngsters today”, I am going to enjoy all my days with my beautiful children and hot hubby. !I am having the best treatment at todays standard so lets get on with it.
I am of to have my 2nd Epi today. I am on the TACT2 trial so having accelerated chemo.!! I only have 2 more Epi and then I start on tablets, which is a blessing as my veins are pretty deep and they struggle even to get blood.!!
Take care Anita you will get lots of support from this forum.
Hugs to you
P x
Hi Paula & Jez
Lovely to hear from ladies with the triple neg type. It really did make my heart swell! Yes my onc did say that is was harder to beat than the hormone rec one and I think at that point I started to panic. Even in my own mind I felt it was worse as there was not going to be tamoxifen or herceptin to make sure it didn’t come back.
But I am glad to say that my ‘dark’ day is over and I am feeling more confident. I did forget to say initially that I have been offered rad treatment after chemo so at least I am having a ‘double’ whammy!
look forward to hearing more from you all
love Anita xxx
Hi Anita,
indeed there is hope. i was diagnosed last may at the age of 41 with a triple negative tumour, had lumpectomy, chemo & radio, going for my first annual follow up mammogram later today. i went back to work mid march. there seems to be quite alot of doom & gloom spoken about triple negative tumours but the latest research doesn’t bear out the need for this. JaneRA on this site recommended a link to an excellent & encouraging article about tnt’s, so maybe if shes reading she can let you have the info. keep your chin up & don’t let people worry you uneccessarily, wishing all the best with your treatment,
take care, rivergirl xx
Hi Anita
Also… it is a good thing that you don’t need herceptin not a bad thing. Herceptin is given to women with what’s called Her2 postive cancer - Her2 cancer is a faster spreading cancer - so it’s good that you don’t need herceptin and have tested negative for this. So it’s not all bad news and only having 1 node is very good news, i also only had one node and my onc said that was good news. I know how you feel, it is all just so terrifying, I was diagnosed last september adn since then have had surgery and finished my chemo on 3rd march - what a relief and the time does go fast and you will get through it, the early days i remember were by far the worst after diagnosis… really feel for anyone just getting the news and coming to terms with it all, chemo is a pain but you get through it and the relief when you do is great, because you feel youve had a really powerful drug to blast it, so it brings with it more peace of mind. Wishing you all the luck in the world, Carrie x
Thank you Carrie and Rivergirl for your uplifting comments. I start chemo Tue 15th and will be relieved as the ball has started rolling.
Thanks again
Anita xxx