I am still in shock and start chemo on Thursday. Had Diep recon on 14 October after failed lat dorsi done in 2010. On second follow up with my plastic surgeon he told me that 2 nodes he took from behind my breastbone had come back positive. This is after original diagnosis in 2009 when I had stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma with NO axillary lymph nodes affected. So much for thinking that this meant it had not spread outside the breast. I have had mastectomy, radiotherapy and have been on tamoxofen for 3 years ans aromasin for 8 months. Apparently I am “unusual”. No secondaries…yet. I should be grateful it was found and the surgeon’s actions could have saved my life, but I was sure I was OK. Anyone else had this happen?
Hi Faith4,
Sorry to hear about your recurrence. If you need to talk to someone in confidence then the helpline team are just a free phone call away 0808 800 6000, lines open Mon-Fri 9-5 and Sat 10-2.
Take care,
Jo, Facilitator
Thank you Jo. I will ring as I am very confused.
hugs faith, didn’t want to read and run (((())))
Aw hugs back funmum3.x
Blasted bc Faith! Sorry I’ve no comforting words, but bc is one sneaky blighter isn’t it. Just wanted to wish you good luck with your treatment.
Sue x
Hi faith
my situation was very similar… I had a grade 1 stage 1 er pos, node neg bc in 2006 at age 37 and had wle and rads and tamox. Three years later i got grade 3, stage 1 node neg TNBC in the other boob and had wle, chemo, rads and two years later i had a grade 3 stage 3 recurrence of the TNBC in the interpectoral lymph nodes… These are nodes that lie inbetween the chest muscles… Not everybody has them i think most peope dont have any nodes there and of those that do its extremely unusual get cancer there… The chance is about 1 in 1000.
i had an excision of the two nodes and an ANC both nodes were cancerous with some spread into the muscle itself but the axillary nodes were still clear. I had 6 cyces of Tax&Carbo chemo which i finished in feb followed by 20 rads as it was just above the previosly treated area. I went back to work in july on a phased retun and had a breast mri in aug which was normal.
good luck and hope all goes well for you
lulu xx
I was under the knife for recon when my recorrance was found… the lump was tested there and then and no recon! This was July this year just 16 months after MX. My bc is TN first time round I had 1 node involved fec-t chemo … this time aswell as lump I have 2 nodes under chest muscle! 4 weeks of rads and the threat of chemo. BUT on wed was told rads had been successful. So now will wait for another PET scan in Jan and then maybe chemo, but for now I do wonder if things would have been different if my hospital had actually scaned me last year. The first time I had any scans was August this year… All this aged 38 and trying to get teenagers through exams…I proclaim myself a super mum.
Yes you are a Super Mum and you will be strong for those teenagers of yours.!!! Love and hugs being sent you way this morning from a very cold and frosty Derbyshire. Love Tracy xxx
Oh Lulu, what a dreadful time you have had. How did you cope third time round? Rads has not been mentioned and I assume as I had rads in 2009 to chest wall this is not an option. i started chemo yesterday but mine is EC - T, what is FEC? I really admire your courage and good luck.
Thank you for your good wishes.
Faith
Brilliant that rads has worked for you and I know what you mean about wondering if they had scanned you earlier. I wonder if they had given me chemo first time and not just rads, would it have got it all. I was surprised not to have been offered it as there was vascular invasion. No point now, it is what it is and I have to get my head round it.
I hope you are feeling ok now Charlotte, best wishes for you.
Faith
Sneaky, not kidding. I really thought it was gone. Thank you for your good wishes Sue and same to you.
Faith
Hi Faith… i think for me personally when i got to the third time i just thought 'bugger! here we go again!)
FEC is EC without the F… hope the EC-T goes ok for you