Just told I have cancer

Hello Icela. Cancer in the lymph node is not always from somewhere else, so I am assuming you were told that in your case the cancer originated elsewhere. However, the pathology report should have been able to identify which cancer it is, so I am not sure why you were not told that part when the pathology results were given to you. Was there a biopsy done on the breast finding after the mammogram? You need a clear and full diagnosis of exactly what type of cancer it is, so you can ask your consultant all the questions that would be relevant to that diagnosis. 

Thanks, yes I had biopsy on the lymph nodes last week and they suggested it was from the breast, when I had the mammogram yesterday they could see a small lesion, but said I need a full body scan as it could have spread elsewhere, so I'm booking a private consultation as haven't heard from the NHS yet!! My doctor phoned me on Monday eve to say the biopsy was very bad!!! 

So my head is whirring as have no idea how bad it is and what the prognosis is going to be, I just want to get in and start doing something to try and fight it x

I'm horrified doctor would ring to say biopsy very bad.  They will know if BC from biopsy, BC is very treatable.  It's standard to full body scan to check if in other areas to decide treatment plan.  You not checking out any time soon.  There are women in this forum successfully treated for all types of BC, including stage 4 (incurable) as modern drugs can stop it progressing.  

Ahh thank you, I feel as if I've been left out to day, they told me this news and then said wait to hear from the hospital, if u haven't heard in 2 weeks then call us back, absolutely appalling, I'm in pie es and now getting chest pains so worried its all in my bones!! 

I believe they said on the biopsy that it's stage 4, so I would have thought they would have rushed to phone me.

Really appre interested your response as my family are just saying it will all be OK and I'm trying to say let's be real x

My results changed from original biopsy after operation. Don't be frightened. 

I'm trying very hard not to but it's so hard

Hi Icela, welcome. I notice that you have also posted in the secondary lymph node cancer forum to say that you were told on Monday that from the lymph node biopsy it looked like you have stage 4 breast cancer and you were having a private mammogram & consultation yesterday? I'm going through investigations and treatment for breast cancer with lymph node involvement and the information you have been given by the doctor doesn't sound right.

A consultant should not just call you and say that the lymph node biopsy is 'very bad' and go straight to suggesting stage 4 breast cancer. Was the lymph node biopsy done privately or via the NHS? Have you been provided with a copy of the biopsy report? If not, ask to see it. I can appreciate that this is a worrying time for you but take one step at a time and discuss the results of the lymph node biopsy with the consultant. If they took a breast biopsy yesterday (which they should have done) ask when the results will be back and if they didn't take a breast biopsy, ask why not. 

If you do have breast cancer and it has spread to the nearest lymph nodes then that is not considered as secondary cancer, and it also doesn't mean that it is stage 4 and has spread anywhere else either. It takes a number of tests, scans etc to determine the stage of a breast cancer and a biopsy doesn't say what stage a cancer is. I have grade 3 breast cancer which has spread to the lymph nodes but it hasn't spread anywhere else and a two week wait for a breast biopsy result isn't long, it is the standard NHS wait time. Has the doctor said that you need a full body scan at this stage? I had ct & bone scans but that was after all of the biopsy results had been received, not before. As GANDER has just posted, results from an initial biopsy can also change after surgery too so, easier said than done, but try not to panic at the moment, and avoid looking at Google as there is a lot of incorrect, out of date information out there and lots of 'worse case scenarios' which will not relate to your individual situation as treatment plans are tailored individually. It's common to think that every pain, ache, twinge means that the cancer has spread but stress and anxiety can cause the same feelings. If you are being treated by the NHS you should have been assigned a breast care nurse who will be able to support you and answers your queries so do get in touch with them  x 

They can't have said stage 4 as they don't know this yet, not enough information.  BC spread to lymph nodes is very common and not classed as stage 4 .  I suggest you speak with GP and Macmillan Help line xx

Hi sorry you find yourself on this journey.  I have to say I don't think the doctor has handled this well by saying 'very bad' because of a positive lymph node.  Just wanted you to know that my cancer was huge at 12cm and 7 lymph nodes positive and the words 'curative and treatable' are the words said to me,  Try and stay positive and hopefully you get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan soon.  Everyone will tell you the waiting is the worst xx

Thank you all, 

No the doctor has been horrific to be fair, and has made a bad situation even worse.

I had the biopsy results sent to my doctors surgey who then phoned me, so do not have a best cancer nurse or consultant at the moment, I decided to go private for the mammogram yesterday as just couldn't sit around and do nothing, they didn't do a biopsy as the consultant there said I needed a PET scan to see if it was anywhere else and that she was going to contact my local cancer team this morning to ask them to sort something urgently