I have now received my results from my wle and anc op on jan 18th. Once again everything changes and the results are worse than expected. Originally it was thought to be 3.5cm grade 2 DCIS with a lymph node affected.
My results have come back as 4.9cm grade 3, but whilst he was removing the tumour he saw another area 1.5cm away from the main tumour so he took a “shave” of this area purely on instinct he said. So although clear margins were obtained around the tumour this other shave area has now come back 8/9 slides positive for cancer cells. Additionally 9/15 nodes are positive 6/10 levels 1 and 2 and 3/5 level 3)
I now have to decide by tomorrow whether to go for re excision and hope they can get clear areas around this other bit or whether to have a mx. It may not seem such a big decision as I know what common sense is telling me, but for me to have an mx at this stage is just one step too far for me. Everything has been happening so fast, and every visit to the hospital the news has just been going downhill.
Has anyone had a re-incision. What are the recovery times like. I was back to work 2 weeks after my WLE and ANC. Similarly recovery times for an mx?
Re the mx. Have been told that reconstruction would be a long way down the line and would also be difficult as I will have had rads to that area too
We are both in shock from this news and scared to bits as also more investigations are needed. CT scan today then an MRI and bone scan so obviously I am now dreading even going back for any more results.
Sorry to rant on, I ve held it together pretty well until now. But I just can’t stop crying I’m not sleeping (literally awake all night) despite zopiclone and I’m scared as hell for me and my OH as now it all seems so dangerously serious with an absolute crap prognosis
Hi Littlescoot,
I cannot answer your question, I’m afraid. As soon as I was diagnosed I was told that I would need a mx. The oncologist thought my tumour had probably been in situ for up to several years; it was very large with additonal growths nearby. It had gone to my lympgh nodes. So, I did n’t have to make the decision you are facing, it was always clear that I would lose my breast.
That was 18 months ago. When disgnosed I was stage 3. Within 2 weeks they had discovered 3 large mets in my liver. I had chemo, mx , full node clearance on the affected side , reconstruction and radio frequency ablation to deal with what was left in the liver after chemo. I have been No Evidence of Disease for almost a year now and I feel very well. I get scared every time I go for a scan, but things are looking good.
So, if you can, take heart! Your diagnosis does not mean that you will not be able to make great progress. I am SO sorry that you are facing this. It is horrid, and scary and no -one who has been through BC would say otherwise, BUT you might be surprised once treatment starts how well you manage to cope, and how well your body responds.
I do wish you well, and I hope that this reply will move your post to a more visible part of the site and someone else will come along to answer your actual question.
Sorry you are going through this!!!
Thinking of you.
Hi, I’m sorry you find yourself in this dilemma. I had lumpectomy, with 2 nodes removed. Surgeon didn’t get margins as he seemed sure he would, and of the 2 nodes one had micromet. I suggested mx after he said he wanted to go back in again, he was confident he would be successful and would also remove all remaining nodes. Results 9 nodes clear (great news. ) but unfortunately didn’t get clear margins, so final result was mx.Although I ended up with mx, I feel more settled in knowing he tried everything first, as you said a step too far. Just had 2nd chemo yesterday, then looking at rads 3 lots of. My surgeon said I could have reconstruction immediately but I made decision not to. Reason for that is that I don’t trust this bloody cancer, and I need to know that every part of me has been zapped… I can then be assured recon would be safer. You will make the right decision for you, it’s great to have others to talk to, but you know what your strengths/weaknesses are, so you will never doubt yourself. I’m 48 was looking at changing things in my life work etc, and now look like I won’t be returning towork until June/July, and can’t even look at recon for a further year, as my sick pay is based on a rolling year of non sickness. Life does throw a bum deal but the upshot is we will be around to kick its bum…
Keep strong and you will make the right decisions
I haven’t been on the site for ages, but your post sounds hjust like mine 6 years ago. Yes 6 years ago. I had large lump 4/14 nodes and vascular invasion. Believe me I was dead and buried. I know yours is different we are all different but please try not to despair. I spent hours on the internet and what I read scared the life out of me. Now 6 years later I have seen 7 grandchildren born and I am well (touch wood) There are many such stories on here and if it wasn’t for messages like mine I would have been in a heap on the floor. BC is life changing, your life will never be the same again, but so many are living with this. I do try to post a couple of times a year to help give hope and strength. I remember the sleepless nights the zopiclone and those horrible night terrors when at 3 and 4 in the morning you feel engulfed in fear and despair. It WILL pass. I hope my post helps a little love Eileen
Thank you for taking the time to return to this forum. It is so comforting to hear of a good outcome. I was engulfed in night terrors waiting for my diagnosis and I suppose they will get worse not better until I have surgery in 5 weeks time. But your post has given me hope.
