Tumor oscillating in size during chemo

nume
nume Member Posts: 85

Hi all!

I have been diagnosed in early August with TNBC 30mm stage 2, grade 3, no lymph node involvement. I am negative for all 132 gene mutations, PD-L1 positive and TILS positive.

I also had an 8mm spiculated nodule on one of my lungs that didn`t show activity on PET SCAN and was dismissed as scar..that still worries me.

I began chemo almost 2 months ago: weekly Paclitaxel & Carboplatin and Keytruda every 3 weeks. Just had my 6th infusion on Monday. I am checking the lump few times everyday hoping it`s shrinking... It seems oscillating: mostly shrinking but then growing up a bit again and changing consistency(getting less solid, more gel like but firmer few hours later). Is it all in my mind?

Please, anybody went through a similar experience? How fast could you tell chemo is working? Did you know for sure?

Thank you so much

Comments

  • brinkofeternity
    brinkofeternity Member Posts: 181
    edited October 2022

    My primary tumor shrank from 3cm to 0.8cm after 3 months on Keytruda and weekly Abraxane. I couldn't feel it after about 2 months. What happened was the tumor was kind of split into 2 pieces. One side was like 0.6cm and the other side 0.1cm, with a bunch of dead cells in between. Maybe this happened to you so sometimes you feel the larger half vs. the smaller half?

  • nume
    nume Member Posts: 85
    edited October 2022

    Thank you very much brinkofeternity! It could be the case.

    Did it feel granulated to you? What consistency did it have?

    ...I will have a CT in 2 weeks time and hope I`ll receive good news.

    XOXO

  • brinkofeternity
    brinkofeternity Member Posts: 181
    edited October 2022

    You're welcome! Just wanted you to know you're not the only one wondering if chemo is working or not.
    It did feel hard and somewhat “jagged" to me. Never granulated though. I guess tumors may all be different… and dead cancer cells definitely are not hard anymore (for me). Sending you good wishes!