I got my results today from my Lumpectomy and Sentinel node biopsy. The good news is they managed to get the lump out with clear margins, The bad news is there were signs of cancer in the sentinel node and 3/5 of the lymph nodes. I’m in a bit of a mess as although my husband came with me for the results and stayed with me all afternoon he has had to go back to work now for a few hours and im on my own and although im OK my head is spinning
My surgeon said he wants to do some more scans to see if it has gone anywhere else first and then depending on the results of those scans he will tell me what comes next. I think it means that if the scans are clear then he will go back in and remove all the nodes and then depending on how many are affected may or may not do chemo. If it has spread to other organs or my bones they wont bother with the node clearance and just go straight to chemo. Im so confused and cant take it all in. I want to just focus on getting the scans first and the results but I have so many what ifs
Has anybody else been given these sort or results? I’m still getting over this op and it’s all a bit much to take in
Any advice would be REALLY appreciated
hi funki, i had 2 out of 4 nodes come back positive after my sentinal node biopsy and so had to have a full axilliary clearance. Eight of the 21 nodes were positive. i also had to have a bone scan and mri to check to see if it had spread further than the nodes…thankfully they came back negative for any signs of spread. You have to try and stay positive - just because it has spread to lymphs doesnt necessarily mean it has spread further. I know that is much easier to say than do when you are facing this and the waiting for results is a nightmare but worrying won’t change things and will only stress you out even more.
I didn’t get clear margins and had to have a mastectomy followed by chemo and radiotherapy which i finished in April. I found the stage you are at now - the waiting for results - the hardest but you will get through it. It is rubbish that anybody has to face this and you will have crap days but they won’t be every day. You are right to.try and focus on getting through each stage and not to dwell on the what ifs. Concentrating on the what ifs takes up a.lot of your energy which we need to fight the cancer!! Sadly there will be loads of others on the forum who have been through similar and are always happy to offer advice so i’m sure you will find the forum helpful.
Try to stay positive and not.worry.about the what ifs too much.
loubel thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I was beginning to think There was nobody else on the forum tonight as i sat anxiously hitting the refresh button waiting for a reply.
You have made me feel so much better and you are absolutly right I mustn’t focus on the what ifs just on one thing at a time and at the moment its the scans.
I dont think it helps that I’m only a week post op and I have had a rough time with it and they are talking about going back in already and soon. I’m sure If hadn’t already had my surgery I would have handled todays news better
Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for replying and making me feel better
Funki x
I had one out of three positive lymph nodes at snb and when I had my mastectomy last week he took out another 24. They were all clean as a whistle. I feel your despair. I still refer to nov 2 as “lymphgate”. Almost worse than diagnosis day!!
The fact that you had some negative nodes at SNB is good. According to my nurse the concentration of cells decreases as they go along.
Waiting is pants- I’m waiting fir histology report this week, but you will get there!!
I had a lumpectomy & lymph nodes removed (7 I think ) on the 1st of Nov , like you it was a bit uncomfortable-probably because the drain I had placed came out a day and a half later…I went for results of the op test last week where I was also informed like you that I would need another op as one of the margins was tight and so they want to go back in to be really sure that they did get it all - the shocker for me was being told that I needed chemo as up until then was told just the op and radio so that really threw me…had my pre-assessment yesteruday for when I start chemo - only to be told that I was grade III …something else that I didnt know this far down the line so another kick in the stomach but as the nurse explained as far as they can see that they have got it all this is justlike added insurance to make sure it doesnt have a chance of coming back,as they explained that because of my age-they said I was quite young to have got this,I am 36 - they are covering all areas,which though yes it is an uncertain time,I dont know what to expect for the next step ahead,especially since I hate needles ! I can fully understand why I have been advised to follow the treatment plan that has been advised…I am definately going to try cold cap treatment every little bit helps,if it doesnt at least I have given it a go ! my first session of chemo (I will be having 6 in total -one every 21 days ) is scheduled for the 5th - I am a bit nervous but like everyone else on here that is to be expected and of course it is the needles as I have mentioned not so much what it actually is doing that bothers me…please try not to worry too much,tell yourself like I am -that you are in good hands and that there will be light at the end of the tunnel…the sooner this show is on the road the quicker we will all be getting back to normal & getting our lives back again just so you know we are all here for one another any time you need a bit of support or even to have a moan as we will all have our up and down days-its allowed ! keep your chin up , stay strong - big hugs to you & all the rest of you lovely ladies on here xxxx
Hi Neadi
Thank you for replying and sharing your own experience with me. It gives me great comfort to hear from other ladies that have had the same sort of procedure or results.
I find the waiting for tests and results far worse than surgery or having any kind of treatment.
I hope you are recovering well from your MX and that lymthgate is soon a distant memory for you
Stay strong
x x
Hi Destiny
Thank you for your reply!
Like you I was not expecting the word Chemo to come in to my results appointment as I had been told they didnt think it had spread to my nodes and that I would just have rads after my surgery. I also got upgraded from stage 1 to 2. The thing I have learnt from this today is to be prepared for changes to anything that has been said before and if there are changes then its for my own good.
I’m so sorry you have had to go through all this at such a young age but I can tell by reading your post you are strong and you have educated yourself on the subject (even if they do keep throwing you curve balls and changing things)
Talk to the chemo nurses about your needle fear. There are lots of things that can be done to help.
Please let us know how you get on with the cold cap as I have heard mixed reviews. I hope it works for you
Good luck with the remainder of your treatment. Please keep us all updated on how it’s going and I hope to bump in to you again on here soon
Thanks again
Stay strong
Funki x x
Both of the 2 lymph nodes they took out were affected so had mx and full ax clearance last week and now, like all of you above am now in this crap position of waiting waiting waiting for the results…the waiting is def worse than the treatment…
I had lumpectomy and node clearance 14 years ago. From memory I had one node positive out of 4 or 5. I said to my surgeon that’s good only being one isn’t it he just replied ’ well it’s better than all of them ’ can here him now. Treatment back then was not so advanced as it is now non of this triple negative info etc but the point is am still here to tell the tale.
You will get through it. It might be tough at times but just focus on that light at the end and tick each treatment and scan off as one step nearer to be well again.
Sending lots of love
Wendy
Funkilala - Getting your path results is horrid especially when they are not what you had hoped. The good news is that you got clear margins - the fact it has gone to your nodes is not the best news but not the end of the world. Thats what the nodes are for - they collect stray cancer cells, so they have done their job. Staging is an important part of the treatment plan and again its quite normal to have a scan after your dx - its called a staging scan and as you say they check to see if there is spread as if there is it can affect what they plan for you. Like you I first had a WLE,lumpectomy and node biopsy. My surgeon did not get clear margins with me so I had to go back and have a Mx, I also had 7 out of 9 nodes with traces of cancer so I had to have a full clearance - they found another 2 with cancer so in total I had 9. I had my staging scan before my second op and that came up more or less clear - there were some concerns over nodes on my ‘good’ side - so during the op he went in and had a look and took one out for testing - but these were fine. So the scan is good, in that it does highlight anything and they can treat it quickly. I do understand how you feel though and having to wait for a scan and then wait for the results before they decide what to do next is not a good time and to be honest is the worst part of all this - once you get the treatment started you will feel so much better. I am nearly 3 years (yes three years) down the line now - I am fine, living a nice healthy life and there are many many of us who have been though similar and have positive stories - I know its easy for me to say but don;'t dwell on what may never me (I worried my self sick over my scan results) try and get on with your life and do practical things like trying to get your scan done quickly (chase up your BCN) and get the results quickly so the ‘waiting’ is not too long - you can then move on to the next part of your treatment. lots of hugs xxxxx
I know that hearing it is in your lymph nodes is a shock. I was treated in 2007 - no mention of a SNB then. I had a mastectomy and node clearance. The most shocking thing of my results was hearing it was in 3/16 lymph nodes. It was also grade three. I had been pre-warned by the nurses on the ward where I had the mx that I would almost certainly get chemo due to my age - 44 at the time, so I was prepared for that bit of the news. However the good news is that I am now heading towards six years on, and am fit, well, and NED (No Evidence of Disease - as good as it gets) so please don’t think the worst just because it is in your nodes.
Hi Wendy!
14 years ago! That has made me smile and given me hope. Thank you for taking the time to reply.
I will take on board your advice about the light at the end of the tunnel and ticking off each treatment
Wishing you continued health and happiness
Thank you for you lovely reply
I will chase up the BC nurse for my scan dates if I havent heard by the beginning of next week. To be honest though, they have been really good and I havent had to wait for anything. From the initial Dr’s appointment, mammogram, scans tests, surgery to where I am now has all happened within 5 weeks.
Wishing you continued health and happiness
Funki X
Hi Roadrunner
Thank you for your reply
Im happy to hear youre nearly 6 years post treatment and that you are fit and well and NED
Long may it continue
Funki
x
Just commiserating. I think we need more seats in this bally waiting room!!
I had my lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy a week ago today,.for what I was originally told was dcis with micro-invasion. Grade 3 cells, and er/pr negative.
I am not sure how many SLNodes they took, but I had given consent to proceed to axillary node clearance if SLNodes were positive, which it turned out they were!! So I don’t know how many nodes were taken nor how many are positive. I am officially upgraded to invasive ductal carcinoma, with suspicion for metastases!
I have to wait til dec 11 before I see the surgeon again to get the full path/staging report, but in the meantime am having ct and bone scan and chest xray. I think the next person to tell me to stay positive might just get a poke in the eye!! Waiting sucks!!
Im with you on that one Morwenna…Im saying to myself each day it would be wonderful news just befoe xmas…Im prepared for rads but just not coping with the thought of chemo… but trying to stay positive… 2 weeks to wait for results xx
Hello everyone this is my first post on this site just wondering if anyone out there has experienced what happening to me. I have been diagnosed with Grade 3 (not yet Staged) HER2 pos /ER pos breast cancer my lump was 2.2cm big. I had a Lumpectomy and Sentinal node removal as the Lymph nodes didnt look as if they were involved however had my results on Tuesday they told me that although there was clearence on the lump, the nodes contained cancer (dont know the size but was bigger than 4mm)
Im back in theater on Monday now for full node removal and have to wait another 2 weeks for the results followed by chemo herceptin rads and tamoxifen. I’m just wondering if anyone has been through this and what your results were and how are you doing now. Just wanna now the in’s and out’s of what I’m about to go through.
@ Sandra: I am prepared for chemo, but not coping with the possibility of mets so well!
@ bobbs: Not quite the same as I gave consent for immediate progression to axillary node dissection ifthe sentinel nodes were involved, so didn’t have to go back.
A week later, I am much more comfortable now the drain is out. And was surprised at how painfree removing THAT was. My main complaint is burning, tingling nerve type pain all down my arm to my little finger, and aches in the elbow. I’m hoping this will get better, but know it takes time, and sometimes becomes chronic! It is not there all the time.
The shoulder range stretches are VERY important. Start them as soon as you are allowed, and take as much painkiller as needed in order to do them!
Don’t worry, you won’t get addicted! Trust me, I am a physiotherapist!
When I am not feeling bloody sorry for myself, it is actually quite interesting being “the patient” for a change!
_ hi all hope you are all doing ok, i havent got my full results yet as im newly diagnosed and pregnant!!! arrrrgggg i have been told that i need surgery and chemo and that my lymph tested positive but dont know to what extent! i have a meeting on tues to discuss results and what they are going to do, but i too am fram freaking out because they said lymph has tested positive!!! xxxx _
my first session of chemo (I will be having 6 in total -one every 21 days ) is scheduled for the 5th - I am a bit nervous but like everyone else on here that is to be expected and of course it is the needles as I have mentioned not so much what it actually is doing that bothers me…please try not to worry too much,tell yourself like I am -that you are in good hands and that there will be light at the end of the tunnel…the sooner this show is on the road the quicker we will all be getting back to normal & getting our lives back again 
It is not there all the time.
Trust me, I am a physiotherapist!