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Tumor oscillating in size during chemo

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nume
nume Member Posts: 81

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

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  • brinkofeternity
    brinkofeternity Member Posts: 181
    edited October 2022
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    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: 81
    edited October 2022
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    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
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    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!