stage 3 survivors

Dear Rainy123,

I am overjoyed to give you hope! I had 8 nodes positive. 5 nodes were visible to the naked eye & 2 of them looked like a "circus peanut," according to my surgeon. I am a 6+ year survivor.

Hey Rainy! You know what helped me is a friend who had Stage 4 TN in many of her nodes. It's 16 years later and she's still here. You and I are lucky that there's so much new research on TN and better treatments. I had 6 nodes with residual cancer, along with residual in at the huge friggin' lump I had found in October 2015. After surgery I had 4 more chemo infusions (Carboplatin). Then, into the the easy bake over for rads. My family and I were dancing with NED. Now the onc is suggesting Xeloda. Waiting to the insurance company to approve. You may want to ask your doctor about the Japan Study regarding Xeloda (capecitabine). It's a promising study that has shown risk reduced by 1/3 - 1/2.

It's empowering to be your own advocate. You'll get through this! And Lulani...thank you for sharing! Awesome!

Rainy213 - I'm 6+ years out from a large TN tumor and lymph node involvement (see my specifics in my signature line below). I'm doing great! I understand where the fear is coming from. We all go through that. You didn't mention at what point you are within your treatment. Just remember, you are not a statistic. Keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will find yourself where I am before you know it!

Hugs,

Kathy

Hi- thought I would join. I am over 5 years out from diagnosis. The first 2 years were pretty tough as I found out I was BRCA 1 after a year and had a couple of prophy procedures. But it has definitely gotten better! I still get scared but then I get distracted and then I am good. Get through treatment and you will be fine. One big thing this cancer thing has done for me is drilled home that I need to have hope and faith that I will be okay. You will also be okay

just curious for those who are Stage 3c, what treatments have you done? I completed treated last May; 4 rounds of tc. Doctor doesn't think we got it all or I had a recurrence quickly afterwards. Tumor is in chest wall was found accidentally which was 3 auxiliary nodes stuck together, 2 were only found to be positive. There was also a paratracheal lymph node light up but after biopsy this week they found no cancer. I have already started chemo but doctor felt if it was cancerous we wouldn't of found some traces of it. Today, I had my 3rd round of chemo and in 2 weeks, I go for my 4th and will learn what chemo I will do next. I am really trying to educate myself self on successful treatments since the first time around I had no clue.

Winters - if you go to My Profile and post your diagnosis & treatment to date it will be easier to understand your questions. For example, are you HER2+?

I had 6 rounds of TCHP chemo, then surgery, they 4 rounds of AC chemo, the herceptin every 3 weeks for the rest of the 17 treatments. During the herceptin, I also had 5 weeks of rads every day.

Hi Ladies,

My mother is a TN on RT brest with 3 lymph nodes involved that are obvious we will find out if there is any more once she gets surgery according to her onc/surg. She isdone with her taxol tretment and is about to start with her a/c treatment any advise? Ive read horror things about it. She is still working and I would'nt want her to feel more usless that what she already feels... thanks and best wishes to all...

Know that just reading your post inspired me, as well. I am in radiation therapy after bilateral mastectomy lymph node resection, 4 cycles of AC and 12 of Taxol. I'm not triple negative (ER positive only), but this post made me so happy I almost jumped out of my office chair!

when I was newly diagnosed this thread gave me so much hope and I promised if I made it to my 5 year cancerversary. I would revisit and post my survival. I was DX after the birth of our 3rd baby and found the lump while nursing him... of course I assumed the lump was from a clogged milk duct... that assumption got me a TN stage 3 DX... after chemo. DMX. More chemo. Radiation. Genetic testing. Oophorectomy. Reconstruction. Countless scans. I am cancer free! A lot of worries in between...my youngest is now 6. My beautiful daughter is now 8 and my oldest son is turning 16! Life is always full of surprises but the biggest surprise is im here to love and enjoy my husband and children. Forward. Onward. Outward

not a lot of responses but i am grateful to have stumbled onto this thread. i am currently mid-way with neo adjuvant chemo. i have a log way to go and sometimes i can’t help but wonder.

thank you for sharing your stories and i do hope to hear from more of you.

Hey --

I need some encouragement. First, some history ....

• 1998 Stage 1 DCIS found in left breast; Lumpectomy followed by Tamoxifen
• 2005 Endometrial cancer . . . full hysterectomy
• 1998 Stage 3C found in right breast (I don't remember the type); Involved 3 lymph nodes; Chemotherapy and radiation

I'm kind of freaking out . . . No, I am freaking out. Are hard lumps common 10 years after a mastectomy?

Please help me .........

Edna10 - Crazy timing - I just signed on and haven't been on for a little bit. Glad to know your mom is doing good. I am now 9-1/2 years out and still doing great. My daughter got married a year and a half ago, and my husband and I are less then 2 years away from retirement (at 56). I was 44 when diagnosed and remember wondering if I would make it to enjoy retirement. Now it's within my grasp. I understand the fear that pops up with every doctor appointment. That gets better eventually, but never really goes away completely in my experience. My best advice is to live every day with as much happiness as you can. Not every day is roses, but most days are completely amazing and I can't wait for tomorrow! Continued best wishes for your mom's health!

Hugs,

Kathy

Hi Edna - Other than some neuropathy in my toes, not experiencing any major side effects. And that is something that I have learned to live with. Have gotten used to the "new normal" feelings/numbness that comes along with doing a bilateral mastectomy. So I really wouldn't say that it affect my life in any way. Your mom is only 3 years out and some of that comes with time. My oncologist told me that making it to 3 years out from triple negative bc is the time to pop the champagne! If it is going to come back, it typically does it within the first 3 years, vs 5 years for other bc.

Hugs,

Kathy