My mom just had a mastectomy and scoop of her nodes. Tumor size 2.6cm ester pos, neg her 2 and Positive 4 or more nodes.
She just got her drain out and it appears to look like the surgeon did a nice job. Her arm feels tight and she has a tingle and some pain under her arm. Is that Lymphodema?
We were told that she will need to see the oncologist and need chemo first radiation second? true or false , does it make a difference?
I want to be educated on all the right steps and questions for when I take my mom to see the oncologist. What do I need to know?
My wonders are,after 4 node positive, maybe 5 does my moms out come change drastically being that we thought it was in the breast only? We were told she will see the oncologist in 1mo after she heals?Is that to long?
Will the doc decide what drug of choice they use in chemo treatments? Or should we question and choose the drug ourselves after they tell us whats available?
Do we trust them completly to give us the right chemo treatment?
Is there a difference in Oncologist docs? Is there something I should look for in an ocologist over another?
Do we now have more tests?
Should she do scans?
Whats the Life expectancy after test pos 4 or more node?
What other test are to be done now?
Thank you to all that take the time to be here and share with all of us:)
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Curlylocks Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 1220 |
May 8, 2008 06:40 am, edited May 8, 2008 06:40 AM
by Curlylocks
Curlylocks wrote:
Hi Randy Mich, I'm sorry that your mother and your family are having to deal with this disease. The tightness, tingling and pain from the arm are due to the healing process and that some nerves may have been touched or cut during surgery. Nerves dont like being distributed. They may or may not come back, sometimes the numbness stays. My nerves were cut due to the removal of 23 nodes and I still have no feeling underneath my arm to the top of my elbow but you do get use to it. Has your mom's doctor recommended the stretching exercises to get some of the movement back in her arm. She would stand facing the wall with her arms on the wall in front of her and slowly climb the wall which stretches out the arms. Ask her doctor to demonstrate it to her, it is important! Yes she will need to see an oncologist who will recommend a treatment plan based on her stats after the pathology report from surgery is available. That time frame does not seem abnormal and will not affect her outcome by waiting. Most cancers before discovered have been in our bodies for 6-8 years. Yes it is different have DCIS which is confined to the breast versus invasive cancer. However, with that being said many women have positive nodes and do very well. Some women that have smaller tumours and no positive nodes do poorly. It really is a crap shot, you are either 100% here or your not... None of us are statistics and your mom is included in that too! I too had IDC and a 4 cm tumour, grade III and 3 positive nodes. So there is certainly reason to be optimistic in your mother's case too! I was diagnosed at age 41, 2 1/2 years ago --had lumpectomy with the removal of 23 lymph nodes, 6 months of chemo, 5 1/2 weeks of radiation and now on hormonals (daily pill) as I too was er/pr+ and her-. The protocal for treatment is chemo first, radiation and then hormonals. Chemo works on killing any cells that may have escaped into the body via either the blood stream or the lymphatic system. Radiation works on cleaning up the actual tumour area of any stray cells and hormonals help in preventing a future reoccurance. I know you are frightened and think that your Mom will be gone soon but this is sooooo not the case. The drugs that they have available to prevent reoccurance are good and work! The treatments today have also come along way even compared to what they were 10 years ago. Just remember your Mom is either 100% here or she's not...I personally do not pay attention to statistics as they are so outdated with new treatments. My oncologist said that I had a good prognosis with doing all my treatments. Yes we would have loved to have no positive nodes but we cannot change what is reality. Her oncologist will recommend chemo drugs based on her case, you have the right to ask questions and seek a second opinion if you are not happy with the answers. It is important to seek out an oncologist who is compassionate and listens to you, this doctor will be following your mom for many years--so its important to trust them and like them too! As your mom has invasive cancer they will more than likely do baseline scans to make sure there is no further spread. These tests are standard so dont panic. I had a bone scan, liver/abdomen scan, chest xray and all of them came back clear despite my 3 positive nodes. These tests are used to further stage your mom's cancer using the er/pr status and her2 tests as well as tumour size and grade (aggressiveness). All the best to you and your Mom. Come back here to ask any other questions you may have and please let us know how your mom is doing. She can do this, I am proof that you can come out the other side of breast cancer and live a full healthly life! Michele |
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LizM Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 1632 |
May 8, 2008 07:40 pm
LizM wrote:
I understand how you and your mother must be feeling. It is disappointing to find out nodes are involved. Although it will change your mom's prognosis somewhat and lead to more aggressive treatment, you have every reason to believe that your mom will be a long term survivor. Having node involvement is pretty much a ticket to chemo. Chemo treatments are changing all the time so I cannot tell you what chemo your mom should have. I had 4 dose dense (every two weeks) treatments of AC followed by 4 dose dense treatments of Taxol. I started hormone therapy at the same time as radiation; however, many women start after radiation therapy. I began chemo 5 weeks after surgery. Most seems to begin chemo between 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. I opted to have all of my treatments at a major comprehensive cancer center and all of my oncologists specialize in breast cancer only. I made the decision to play an active role in my treatment and researched every decision made along the way . You have made a wise decision in coming here as there are many extremely knowledgeable survivors here. |
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