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Stage 2B with positive nodes

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  • colt45
    colt45 Member Posts: 383

    Saying hello to all of the Stage 2B with positive nodes ladies...



    Wondering how you're all doing.

  • placid44
    placid44 Member Posts: 179

    Colt,



    I finished radiation last week, Friday. My skin did well, which is fortunate given that I still have exchange surgery to do, probably in the fall. I am very tired from rads and other treatment/surgery, but otherwise ok. I see onc for checkup tomorrow. I am back to work half time and hope to go back full time the week after next.



    I have a new blog intended to help just-diagnosed women with info and links about diagnosis, treatment, physicians, etc., locally (DC area) and national info. It's anonymous for now. I would appreciate any feedback - too detailed or no? Missing pieces? The URL is in my sig line, http://beltwaybreastcancer.blogspot.com.

  • Sweetie1972
    Sweetie1972 Member Posts: 5

    Hello all! I'm newbie! I was dx on Feb 12,13 with ILC in right breast and precancer in left. Decided on BMX. Had that done on April 3rd. Sentinel node biopsy was positive. Had 17 more lymph nodes removed and they were all benign. What I'm really concerned about is my report says that lymphovascular invasion is present as well as perineural invasion. Anyone that can give me some feedback on either one of those I'd appreciate it. I'm 40 this was my very first mammogram that detected all this. I have 4 children ages 15, 13, 11, and 9.

  • fd1
    fd1 Member Posts: 62

    Hi Trm!  From what I've read, lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is really only an important prognostic indicator if you do not have positive lymph nodes, as it can be a sign that your cancer could have travelled elsewhere into your system.  Oncologists consider LVI, along with a host of other risk factors, when they are recommending chemo for lymph node negative patients.  I'm not sure about perineural invasion...

    I hope that you get through treatments smoothly.  Smile

  • Sweetie1972
    Sweetie1972 Member Posts: 5

    Thanks! I meet with oncologist on May 20

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,261

    Here is some info on perineural invasion.  I was unfamiliar with it but was curious so I found this.  It looks like it has not been well studied, but from this info, also not that critically important:

    http://www.thebreastonline.com/article/S0960-9776(06)00008-7/abstract

  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 546

    Hi Colt, super cool that you post to learn and better help your wife. My DH (dear husband or dang husband, depending on the day LOL) is insanely supportive but would never go to this length! Kudos to you.



    I am a IIb who just saw this post. I am Her2+ so my diagnosis isnt exactly parallel to your wifes, but we do have the similarity of being stage IIb, and having the positive lymph nodes at the first surgery. We were also both diagnosed in October.



    At the first surgery, I had two of three lymph nodes strongly positive. I went on chemo right away, then they did my mastectomy (with reconstruction- TE) after my course of chemo. At my second surgery they took out 24 lymph nodes- all were negative! They found only a few dying cells in one tiny spot in the removed brest tissue. So it was a complete response.



    My story is not done yet, since I have more surgery and radiation to go, and I am sure not long out, and scared of relapse because Her2+++ tumors are aggressive, but I just wanted to weigh in due to the similarities, and because you are in the sucky period of watching your wife go through chemo now. At least for me, it was sure worth the pain and suffering!



    Hang in there and I wish your wife ALL the best.

  • LizA17
    LizA17 Member Posts: 102

    I am Stage 2..ER+PR+ & HerNeu2+. Just finished chemo last week. I will have 11 more Herceptin treatments for the HerNeu2 status. I am doing great. HerNeu2 is a little scary but my Oncologist doesn't seem to worried about it, so I've decided to take him at his word and not worry about it either. I'm thanking God every day to be here and feeling as well as I do. I wish that for all of us!!

  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 546

    Good luck, LizA17!! I too will have herceptin much longer, each 3 weeks until November. Many more infusions to come, thank goodness for my port.

    I am with you- think positive and take care of ourselves, it is what we need to do. And enjoy life!!

    Herceptin is a miracle drug in my opinion, definitely why I am doing so well. And there are many more new drugs coming. Thank goodness for the breast cancer researchers. They rock.

    Hugs everyone!



  • Bsquared
    Bsquared Member Posts: 1

    I just returned from checkup with my oncologist. Since I was first diagnosed in 2009' they have changed the staging criteria for breast cancer. Under the new system, clean lymph nodes put you in stage II and lymph node involvement in Stage III.

  • Kindergarten
    Kindergarten Member Posts: 2,883

    Dear Bsquared, are you sure that is correct!! Not trying to be arrogant, but this info, if not correct would scare the heck out of those who were diagnosed 5- 10 years ago. I am seeing my onc in June!! Does that include size of tumor and grade???

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,261

    Here is the staging information from the National Cancer Institute.  It includes tumor size and lymph node status.  My tumor was 2cm and I had two involved nodes.  That puts me at stage IIB, not stage III.  For a stage IIIA dx, here is the criteria:

    Here is the rest of the info for all stages:

    http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/breast/Patient/page2

  • Kindergarten
    Kindergarten Member Posts: 2,883

    Thank you, SpecialK!!!!!

  • Seph63
    Seph63 Member Posts: 1

    I was diagnosed 11 + years ago with stage 2B also with one node. I know when I was first diagnosed I craved hearing about long term survival so I am passing this on. When I was diagnosed my kids were 3 and 7 . My daughter is graduating HS in 5 weeks and my son is a freshman.



    Give your wife one year and life will begin to get back to normal. Slowly BC will not be part of your everyday thoughts.



    Good luck. You sound like a supportive and loving spouse much like I have.

  • colt45
    colt45 Member Posts: 383

    @Seph63:



    Thank you for taking the time to pop in and give us a boost in confidence.



    God bless you and may you have continued great health.

  • Delvzy
    Delvzy Member Posts: 454

    Hi steph63 thx for your encouraging words I am an Aussie girl 1 hour north of melb had a similar diagnosis to you but grade 3 in 2008 bit nervous approaching my 5 year anniversary

  • colt45
    colt45 Member Posts: 383

    @placid44: I PM'd you, but I thought I'd add it here as well... I checked out you blog and I think it's terrific.



    I know that before I found this site, I was doing searches for anything that could offer info on breast cancer.



    Had I found your blog during those searches, it would have helped me. I know it will help others. I have no critiques. I will say that as long as you're willing to share, that there's no such thing as "too detailed". JMO.



    Bless you.

  • jcolford
    jcolford Member Posts: 70

    Have any of you looked at the research that talks about Lymph Node Ratio as opposed to total number of lymph nodes as being a better indicator of prognosis? Basically is says that the number of positive nodes divided by the total nodes removed gives a better indicator for reoccurance. Under 20% is low risk, 20 - 65% is moderate and over 65% is high. I would be interested in your thoughts on this research.

    Cheers to all,

    J.

  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 546

    Hi J, I have not seen that research but am very interested. Is it published somewhere?

  • jcolford
    jcolford Member Posts: 70

    Here is the link  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23536053

  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 546

    Thank you for the link. I looked at that study and the others that were recommended by Pubmed as related papers. Interesting.



    One thing that I find confusing is that we have different lymph node status before and after chemo, at least I did because I had the neoadjuvant therapy prior to my mastectomy- they wanted to get the drugs into me ASAP because my tumor was so large and aggressive.

    After chemo my lymph nodes were clean (24/24). But before treatment they were 2/3 positive.



    I guess all these studies just look at the initial diagnosis? So many variables.

  • jcolford
    jcolford Member Posts: 70

    You are so right sciencegal. In my case they did surgery first because mine was so aggressive (estimated that it was doubling in size every 45 days). At least with treatment prior to surgery you know for sure that the treatment is working. Where I am from I don't even see my onc again until December unless I have symptoms of reoccurance. :'(

  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 546

    Well, the ACT that you got is pretty fierce. I sure hope it cleared everything up for you - between that and the surgery. I sure wish you the BEST of luck!!!!

    And, while my nodes are clear now, we still don't know. I need to go through radiation next, after my scar heals a bit more. Not sure what the plan is for monitoring after that.
  • jcolford
    jcolford Member Posts: 70

    I am relieved that I don't have to do radiation.  I think no matter how agressive of treatment given to us we cannot help but worry. Are they radiating the nodes or the chest wall as well? Either way, good luck with your continued treatment.

  • colt45
    colt45 Member Posts: 383

    Bump

  • colt45
    colt45 Member Posts: 383

    Bump

  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 188

    Thanks for the props Colt45!! It means a lot. I like the way you think,

    Claire. Yours were some of the first posts I read when I was diagnosed and your exercise dedication and success gave me huge hope. I'm now down to only ONE Herceptin treatment left.

    As far as statistics go - here are mine for my diagnosis and treatment. 82% chance of 5 year survival and 78% chance of 10 year survival. I've made it past the one year mark and still NED and grateful!

    I too am making good choices with food, exercsing, and stress management (the toughest one because of other damn people! Ha! :-) ) and doing my best to give myself increased odds. I believe in it. I do my cardio and eat my blueberries, mushrooms, greens, and catch my Vitamin D rays!

    The silver lining - I seriously take much less crap and don't sweat the small stuff as I did pre-diagnosis. I needed a stronger voice and I have definitely earned it by using it in the past year.


  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 546

    Hi Maria,



    Congrats on coming this far!!

    I have/(had?) a similar type of disease, and stats, as you do, I am just farther behind in my treatment, just now preparing for radiation, and herceptin continuing until November.



    I hope you are NED forever, for sure. Thanks for the positive post and inspiration.

  • colt45
    colt45 Member Posts: 383

    @sciencegal: thanks for the well-wishes...you are in my prayers. May you have continued good health and keep moving on to full recovery.



    @Mariasnow: God bless you. May you keep clearing hurdles all the way to full recovery.

  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 546

    Thanks Colt, how is your wife doing?

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