Large tumour survivors
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Hopefully more people with large tumours finds this thread
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I had manual breast exam along with my annual pap in the Spring of 1995 with normal results . The lab results from my November 25, 1995 post mastectomy pathology exam indicated a 7 X 6 cm tumor with "metastatic poorly differentiated ductal carcinoma involving 22 out of 23 axillary lymph nodes with foci of extra nodal tumor extension". Going on 23 years disease free. I got it into my unscientific mind back then that my cancer was fast growing so it should also be fast dying. After re-reading the report today I decided that I'm NOT going to mow the lawn, do any laundry, or cook today. Best wishes to all.
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thanks ladies for sharing all this. Mine was 6 x 5 irregular shape. 7 nodes positive with them spewing cancer out of them. Still here and doing well. 4 years since my diagnosis next month. Still a baby in this journey but planning to be around a long time
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Tomorrow marks SEVEN YEARS since my diagnosis with a 6.5 to 7 cm tumor, 9 positive nodes, Her 2 Pos.(was only able to have 3 months of Herceptin due to major heart damage fro the drug).
I never dreamed I would be here in 7 years, but I am!
GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!
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Big congrats, Denise. Appreciate your continued commitment to sharing and informing all of us
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Mine was 8cm×2×2 1/2. Shrunk quite a bit after neo adjuvant TAC chemo.But 8 of 20 node still positive after chemo. Jan. 2019 my 3 year cancer free anniversary, doing awesome!
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I found this thread at the very start of my journey and I have come back to it often for comfort and inspiration. Mine too was huge. Thanks for reigniting this thread. It’s so encouraging that there can be less than positive characteristics to each tumour yet the prognosis isn’t necessarily bleak. Just watching the Invictus Games closing ceremony and am so inspired by those amazing human beings. It’s helped put my own situation into perspective.
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still doing ok here too !
best of luck to all of us !
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Yes mine was big too 6,5 x 4,5 cm shrunk to 2,5 x2,4 with chemo and targeted treatment Triple positive. I am still around. Incredible that no nodes nor vascular invasion was noted. My onc told me he has seen it all, small ones that act like a bully and big ones that do not. The rabbit and turtle thing. I am always scared of recurrences but still ok after my last visit this summer. Next year I will go again and pray it is still ok which would then mark 3 years NED. I really never understood why the size had such importance, if someone cares to explain I would be grateful.
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Do I have to be stage 3? Was initially diagnosed 3c.
8 years alive after 10cm left, 8cm right with all positive margins. 15 nodes positive with extension in 2010.My ILC does not show on imaging, except in bone. Docs knew I was stage IV in 2010, but could not see it. Cancer had been there for a long time.
I’m still here even with a bad start!
Fight,Fight,Fight!
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Still here!!
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Hello Ladies! I am new to this thread and just recently diagnosed. My tumor is very large, occupying almost the entire side of my right breast, I am a B cup. I met with my BS earlier this week. She seemed very positive that this can be treated/cured. I am trying my best to hang on to that. She told me that size sometimes matters, but not always. She said that sometimes tumors are large because they only occupy the breast and do not venture outside of the breast. We can feel an enlarge lymph node under my arm, but she feels that from my biopsy, I had 10 tissue samples taken, that it may be the lymph nodes reaction to the biopsy...my breast is still really bruised from the bio the biopsy. I have a biopsy scheduled for the lymph nodes under my arm in a week. I am considering a double mastectomy due to my genetic disorder to hopefully prevent future concerns. My mastectomy won’t be until until January...man thats a LONG time to wait. Waiting is the worst
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The waiting is definitely the hardest part! My main tumor was very large also, like 8.5×2.5cm.And I had it in my lymph nodes, that's how I found it, I felt like a jellybean under my arm. Painless.My breast tumor I didn't identify, because my breasts were always lumpy feeling. I had chemo before surgery because of the lymph node. Shrunk the tumor way down. I had mastectomy only on my left side, then later, radiation and reconstruction. All good now, feeling Great! You have challenges ahead, but it's all do-able, you will find , step by step. Try to enjoy the holidays! I had mastectomy in Jan. 2016, on my birthday! Entire surgical team sang Happy Birthday to me as I went under 😂💖
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CaliKelly, that is funny. You seem like me, always trying to see the rainbow. Waiting is the worst, but I feel so much better after meeting with my BS. She was very positive and that is what I needed.I am getting more sleep and eating a little more. I am can't wait for the weekend when I can sleep in past 5:30. Lol.
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Maggie
Sorry you have to be on this board but glad you are feeling better, I was in the exact same boat have a mx days after Christmas 2016. The waiting is horrible and I refused to wait. I pushed and pushed the Dr until they agreed to do the surgery sooner, I just could not wait as I had found the lump election days 2016 and when they didn't get clear margins first time around I was a basket case. I ended with mx on the left and have not done any reconstruction yet, not sure I will. .Why are they making you wait so long for surgery are you doing chemo first ?
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions
Huggs my dear
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honeyBeau,
Not sure. I see her again on December 11th and I am going to see if I can have it done before Christmas. I have to have some more tests done so she has some more info. I see a genetic counselor today due to family history with other cancers. I will have an MRI in about a week along with a biopsy of my lymph node that’s she felt during my exam. She feels it is swollen because of biopsy on my tumor. If that biopsy comes back positive, I will have to have chemo
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I was diagnosed at age 35 and mine was estimated at 9+ cm, I had lumpectomy first because they thought it was about 2 cm. Had to have mastectomy a few weeks later when all margins came back not clear. I had one node positive (sentinel) out of 11. And today is my 15 year NED date 😊
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mpetago Hope!! Thank you for posting!!
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Any stage 3 large tumors that were triple negative? Mine was 6 cm at diagnosis June 2017. Grew to 10 cm by August 2017 on Taxol.
I finished treatment at the end of November 2018. Had a positive bone scan just last Wednesday and am waiting to have an MRI.
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mpetago - WOW CONGRATULATIONS!! So great to hear this!
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mpetago... so happy for you!
I had a 7 cm tumor and too am 15 years NED....
Heres to us!
wallan
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OH YAY!!Wallan and mpetago, so awesome. I love hearing the long term stage 3 kick-ass "survivors " not my favorite term. How about "thrivers" So great💗💗💗
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Thank you ladies, I know what it means to hear about long-term stage 3 thrivers, especially those with ginormous tumors, so I'll always be on these boards to check in. They were my lifeline for years. ❤️
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Thank you ladies for sharing your experiences!
My mother who is 66 years old was recently diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in her left breast. Her tummor is huge (around 7 CM) ER-/PR - still pathology did not release the state of HER. The treatment plan is chemotherpy (4AC + 12 T), probably followed by surgery later.
Just wondering how long typically for large tumors to see improvement on chemo? Please share your experiences
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Kkmay, sorry to hear about your mother. I had a very similar treatment plan and did pretty well with it. Stage III, triple negative, with a tumor just under 7cm.
I started with a plan of 12 Taxol and 4 AC. After 7 cycles of Taxol, we discovered my tumor had grown to over 10cm. So they immediately stopped Taxol and started the 4 AC. I saw the tumor shrink really fast on AC. After 4 cycles, it had shrunk to about 3cm and they were able to get clear margins (although under 1mm) at my mastectomy.
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I had a 3.8 cm tumor, also TNBC. My chemo was different: Taxotere and Carboplatin, x 6, every 21 days.
In my case, it worked incredibly fast-- I could feel it happening even on on chemo #1. I could feel my tumor very easily, as it was located not too deep. A day or two after my first chemo, I felt a strong fizzy sensation in the area of the tumor. Not painful but strong and maybe a second or two long. It made me think to feel the tumor, and when I did I could tell immediately it was smaller! I had a friend with me and she had asked to feel my tumor a few days earlier, so I made her feel it too and we could both feel the distinct difference. Thereafter I could feel it getting smaller and smaller as treatment went on: from a walnut in the shell, to a large almond, to small almond, to a lentil. By chemo #4 I could not feel it at all, and neither could my MO.
I think they give it about 3 cycles to see how the tumor is responding. Some tumors take longer to respond but still do. The whole point of neo-adjuvant chemo is being able to gauge the response of the tumor to chemo, so if you have a situation like pesky's they can switch you to something better.
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Recently diagnosed. First meeting with surgeon this morning and will be referred to oncologist in coming weeks. Too afraid to ask how big the tumour is. It feels HUGE. I guess I'll find out soon enough. I am HER2-positive and a good candidate for neoadjuvant therapies. After weeks of waiting for results, fretting, imagining, cursing/wondering why I didn't find it soon enough --- I feel like I can almost "relax". I have to flush all the pent up adrenalin out of me first. Maybe I might even have a decent night's sleep. It gives me hope to see "thrivers" who have travelled down the road and are still here many years later. For now - just get on with the treatments, however horrid, and come out the other side. Wish me God Speed.
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Hi ladies. I was dxed over 15 years ago with a >7cm tumor and 11/29+ nodes. I had neoadjuvant chemo because I was so locally advanced they couldn't do the surgery until I did. After surgery, I chose to do more chemo, had 30 rads and have been on an AI for 14 years now. There are many long term survivors of large tumors and many + nodes. One plus is, we are not in a gray area for which treatments we get. We get the big dog treatments.
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Oh my Elaine, you are giving me goosebumps in a good way. thank you
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Hi Ladies!
I am new on this thread. I was diagnosed Stage 3 in October with 2 tumors one of which was 12cm. The first line in my report actually used the word huge. It was very terrifying. I had my radiology report checked again with my breast surgeons ok and it was what they said the first time. I had surgery first and they were able to remove it all with clear margins. I had 3 lymph nodes invaded. It was a very slow growing cancer grade 1. It is a comfort to read long term survivors stories. I am into my chemo now and finding it pretty hard to handle. DD AC is finished and I just started Taxol. I did have to give up on most house cleaning but I can’t give up my bed full of kitty cats. My onc just said let my kids do the litter box. I wish you all happy days ahead
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