I was diagnosed with bc one year ago. I had a 7 cm tumour and 23/27 nodes were positive. I struggled with the extent of the cancer and am very fearful of it returning. Is there anybody out there who has had a similar size tumour and lymph node invovlement
This is meant to be an encouraging post from me and hopefully you’ll read it that way. I was diagnosed in July 07 with bc. My tumour was over 7cm x 5cm, lymph node involvement (one node was over 1cm) and some bone mets in spine and ribs. I had chemo, followed by mx (but no reconstruction)and full anc, then rads. There were still signs of cancer spread even after chemo but I have been on hormone tablets and remained almost stable ever since.
My point is that I had a poor prognosis - to the extent that I was granted early retirement at the age of 42 - but am still here today and really enjoying my new life. Your prognosis, indeed any prognosis, is not a definite science so try not to live your life based on that poor one. There are things I can no longer do and I have adjusted to a new pace of life but still manage to do things as and when I want and am able. It’s a case of me living with cancer and doing what I can when I can and not putting things off. It’s a great cure for procrastination!!!
Good luck and try to keep optimistic and ‘perky’
Liz
PS My mum had bc 10 years ago, had a large tumour and quite a lot of lymph node involvement, no secondaries, and is still doing well today. Inevitably, my diagnosis rocked her but we have got through the rough days and manage to enjoy lots of good things.
Hi Gez,
That was a lovely post from Lizcat.
Just thought I’d let you know that I’m in a similar position to you.
I was diagnosed last January with grade 3 ER+ BC.
I had 22/25 lymph nodes involved.
My largest tumour was 2.5cm but I had lots of others. I’ve never dared to ask how many or what vascular involvement I had.
I’ve been through all the surgery, chemo, rads & am on Tamoxifen.
Like you, I am really scared of recurrence and/or secondaries but am trying to live my life as normally as possible as I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in a state of constant anxiety about something that might not actually happen.
I’m eating lots of veggies and doing some exercise classes which I’m really enjoying but I’m also drinking wine and eating chocolate because life is for living.
Wishing you all the best and let’s hope we all have a happier Christmas & New Year than the last one!
Take care & smile as much as you can,
Kate x
Hi there, just wanted to say I had an aunt who had aggressive breast cancer with all nodes involved in the very early 70s. She had radiotherapy because that was pretty much all that was available, then she went on one of the earliest trials for the first chemo drug trialled in the UK (I’ve been told it was 5FU). She lived until her 80s and died in 2006, 3 months before I was diagnosed. She never let BC get her down, she just got on with things and I’m sure that’s why she remained well for such a long time. She was a very inspiring and fun lady.
Hiya - I had an 11cm tumour , after chemo it was 8.5cm with 9 nodes active out of 24 . The point is with the hormone therapy we do better than with chemo ,it is kinda scary but i am trying to just get on with it (still have rads to go mind u )I have NEVER asked about my prognosis but also not nieve, we cannot change it so hard as it is we need to just get back on that band wagon and enjoy our life.
xxxxx
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