Oh my goodness me this rollercoaster we are on!
My official appointment is next Wednesday, where I see my surgeon and Breast Nurse, but another BN rang me Tuesday this week, (my BN is on AL) to tell me my Lymph nodes are clear.
I was ecstatic, as you can imagine, after 2/3 days of feeling on top of the world, I now find myself worrying if it has spread via other routes.
I know I am my worse own enemy, but is this possible? Can it get around via other routes?
Also, the BN said “they have got it out”, she was talking about the WLE and the tumour, but I am guessing there are cancer cells there which is why I need the chemo and rads, although not sure about rads, I am HER2+ and ER+ so my BN said I will need chemo, not sure if I will still need the rads? is it notmal to need both?
Roll on next Wdnesday, hopefully get my treatment plan, know what is happening.
Sorry for another flapping episode, it literally just comes on me.
Hope your all as well as can be.
Car x
Hi Carmia
Great that your lymph nodes are clear. I had mx for high grade DCIS but mx revealed invasive HER2+ cells - nodes clear. Surgeon thought I did not need more treatment as he had removed it all but the oncolgist wanted chemo so that I could have herceptin - to minimise the risk of recurrence. He said there was a possibility of spread even with clear nodes although he also said it would be a reasonable decision not to have additional treatment. It was the herceptin he thought was important because it was HER2+ but due to current guidelines I had to do chemo in order to get the herceptin. Also borderline for radiotherapy but again the onc advised it. In the end I went with the onc’s advice - so chemo, radiotherapy and herceptin.
Everyone is different and depends on precise details of pathology report (which they will probably discuss with you) so I hope you won’t need all this - or at least that things are clear cut. Being borderline is quite hard although both surgeon and onc were great. Having read up on HER2+ I found it reasonably easy to decide to go for chemo because herceptin sounded so effective. I found it much harder to decide on the radiotherapy especially as it was left side. There are some good publications on this site if you want more info about HER2+, understanding your pathology report etc.
Very best of luck - hope Wednesday goes well. It is better once you have a plan.
Hi Carmia, you are going to be up and down its only natural, you are still waiting to find out exactly what your plan will be and you will be trying to second guess things which will drive you a bit nuts!
Radiotheraphy is generally given to anyone who has had a lumpectomy to target the area as a precaution , its a doddle so dont worry yourself about it, they are suggesting chemo as you need Herceptin afterwards and im not sure for what reason but you need chemo before hand to have it, as youve been told they have it all then the lump has been removed with a clear margin of tissue surrounding it ,everything you have from now on is to help prevent reacurrance .try not to think too far ahead and just get to your appointment now and you will.know exactly whats going to happen and knowledge is the key i found, its all the speculation that sends you in to a spin! Xx jo