I finished treatment for stage 3b cancer in June 2007. Last week I discovered a 1.5 cm nodule in my axilla. They have biopsied it and I should find out the results on Thursday. I was told to expect the worst. Firstly, has anybody out there had scar tissue in their armpit and thought it was cancer? (hopeful thinking). Secondly, if it is cancerous - what happens next? If it has spread, how long do I have? I hate to think this way, but I want to be prepared. I have four young boys and am frightened out of my mind. Can anybody help?
What happens next? If you have a reccurrence of cancer you will also have ‘stageing tests’…a CT scan and a bone scan to determkine whether the cancer has spread elsewhere to other organs or whether it is a local or loco/regional reurrence. Some loco regional recurrences are operable and some it is possible to have radiotherapy but some not…if this is the case then treatments available are more chemoherapy and if you are er+ pr+ her2+ then hormonals and her2 targetted drugs (herceptin, tykerb).
How long do you have? This is a premature question because firstly you don’t know how far your cancer has spread and secondly no one can tell how well you will respond to further treatments.
I can imagine how scared you feel right now…I hope you will soonhave the results of tests and with that information you can ask your medical team all you need to ask. If your cancer turns out to be a regional recurrence a key question yu need to ask your team is whether they consider you could either go into complete remission or whether partial remission is the best to be hoped for.
Thinking of you.
best wishes
Jane
I can empathise with your situation i was diagnosed in March 08 with stage 3C BC triple negative. Because of the areas involved mine was inoperable so i am on a contain and control programme - chemo and radio. The one thing I have now got my head round is "how long do i have?? " As JaneRA says until you know how you respond no one can really say. Its funny because everyone is born with an unknown expiry date, and we only worry about it when we think we might have less than everyone else. I initially spent days in tears drafting my will and funeral and feeling totally desolate. So to overcome this i have decided that until they tell me there are no more treatments that they can offer me or they can give me a definite “expiry date” - although many women outlast these, I am going to continue as I did before my diagnosis. The only advantage I have over everyone else is that I now perhaps appreciate things that most “mortals” ignore. I have two sons who only know i have breast cancer not the full extent of the diagnosis and that enables them to get on with their lives as normally as possible with out worrying about something that may (hopefully) not happen for years.
I am sure when you get your results they will ive you all the necessary info etc. Please let us know how you get on - fingers crossed for a good result
Regards
Helen
I had a complete clearance in the axilla that has a nodule, so it’s even more worrying. I’ve been walking around in a daze and in hysterical tears. Today after I picked up my little ones from nursery and school I threw up next to the car. So it really could be years? LLx
Hi Loralee
Please do feel free to call our helpline for support and a chance to talk through the concerns you have at the moment in confidence with one of our specialist nurses, the number is 0808 800 6000 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 9am-2pm.
Best wishes
Lucy
Hi Loralee…it really could be years…I was diagnosed with stage 4 from the very beginning, in 2003. I feel much better now in 2008 than I felt in 2003. As Jane has said it’s hard to predict but I hope all will be well for you…Belinda…x
Hi Loralee
I do feel for you.
I’ve been having treatment for troublesome lymph nodes. I had one surgically removed 9 months ago, from the chest wall (it showed up on a PET scan).
I’m now having chemo (Taxotere) because there is more activity (originally thought to be scar tissue) in my axilla (showed up on CT scan and PET scan).
It’s scary, I know. I’ve been in the place you are now. And waiting and not knowing is the worst. Once the problem starts to be tackled, I am sure you will start to feel better, as I did.
Hoping for better than expected news for you on Thurs.
X
S
Hi Loralee,
Anyone telling you to expect the worst has not been very helpful in terms of choice of language. It would have been more helpful to give you some examples of alternative scenarios. I think we would all take the worst to mean am I going to die soon.? If you see the person again tell him/her what anxiety this has caused. Hope things turn out OK.
Chris
Hi Loralee
Can’t believe anyone would tell you to ‘expect the worst’ what a awful thing to say.
I have just been diagnosed with a local reoccurance in the lymph nodes that had been close to my primary site. I was DX in March 07, 4 X FEC and 4 X Taxotere, 4 weeks rads, tripe negative and finished treatments in Dec 07.
I was terrified when I realised something was going on under my arm, it was swollen and sore and onc found some lumps, the decided to take them out immediateley rather than do a FNA. I was in bits when they operated and took the lumps away and the biopsey came back cancer, but there is good news, I have just been scanned and am all clear, no further spread. Whew what a relief that was!!! Having a portacath fitted on the 4th and then straight into 6 cylces of carboplatin.
So even with it coming back, it can still work out ok 
The waiting is a nightmare, I know, but very very best of luck and I hope your results are good
Hugs
Nikki