I have stage 3 breast cancer which had 7 out of 14 nodes positive with cancer. After my surgery my surgeon told me that the chemo didn't do a great job with shrinking the cancer and it'll be a 50 50 chance whether it will spread or not. Since this time I cannot stop thinking about those words and I feel like there isn't a chance of me ever being cured. It's take a while for me to start radio therapy and I am so scared that it's already started to spread because of the time and the aggressiveness of my cancer. I am just struggling to think positive and can't help but accept that I'm not going to be cured and it'll be bad news. The surgeon said that they don't scan from here unless you have new symptoms presented. I just feel like the cancer has already escaped as my nodes showed active cancer and its already growing else where. I know this sounds extremely negative but I just dont see how if I had active cancer after treatment etc how it will of stopped growing without radiotherapy already starting. Any tips on trying to keep positive would be great. Xx
Your surgeon sound a cheerful soul. Many oncologist will think about additional or different chemo if one isn't so effective. Speak to your BCN and ask her thoughts and whether you should get second opinion. X
I can totally understand your anxieties! I had 5 of 11 nodes affected and had lumpectomy and all nodes out. my gp letter said there was capsule spread from nodes so, like you , that was it for me, it must have settled somewhere else! but it hadn't. mine was stage 3 grade 2. ct scan clear. I do think they should explain things better and reassure you that are options xx good luck xx
Eerything that Grogg said, but also: why is it the surgeon who is talking to you about systemic treatment and not a medical or clinical oncologist? I would demand to see one.
If you get nowhere with your nurse on this, call Macmillan, talk to one of their nurses, and if needed, ask for a referral to another hospital, but hopefully the hospital where you are now will sort this out. This should also include scanning you and taking any needed biopsies to check the cancer's behaiour. Leaving you to wonder won't do, and I would stand firm on that.
I am not sure on how to keep positive, but I would look for distraction, just so that something may take your mind off of it for a period of time. If you are able to focus on watching a film or reading a book or watching stuff on YouTube, I would do that.
I'm no expert but assume you have had surgery and that removed the cancer and the lymph nodes are there to catch the cancer cells.
Chemo may not have shrunk the cancer but it may have neutralised cells if there are any elsewhere.
I have found some of the doctors have come out with comments that have been negative but then speaking to the bc nurse she has given clarity and is more positive. I would seek advice from the bc nurse.
Thank you, I am now on a tamer chemo with her 2 treatment but as my last chemo didn't respond to my body I just feel like this won't either. It's the wrong thinking but it's hard isn't it. I will pluck up the courage to speake with them x
Hello, thank you for replying back to me. Do you mind me asking when you had your operation etc? I feel like it's pot luck to whether the nodes kept them or whether they snuck out or not. How long after did you have a ct scan after treatment etc? I think it's wrong that they say they don't scan after treatment unless you have other symptoms it just seems like there's no kind of clarification. X
Hi yes I had a full mastectomy and lymph node clearance. I really hope it did some work because I feel like I wish they did the operation first as it's had time to grow. I think they have to keep to the point don't they as everyone is different x
My oncologist has also spoken to me regarding my next treatment plans etc, I just can't get the surgeons words out of my head.. he must know something I don't for him to say it's 50 50 that's how it's made me feel any how. I think I need to pluck up the courage and ask some questions. Thanks for the lovely advice x
hi, I had the op in November, CT scan in end of dec/start of Jan can't quite recall, I know my drains were out and I had my picc line in. started chemo in Jan. I don't have another CT scan even when chemo finishes as they say, as the last CT scan was clear, there's nothing to check for, chemo is to mop any rogue cells up that scan can't see. I absolutely do know how worried you are, for the first 4 weeks after diagnosis I eat drink and thought about cancer all day and all night. its still on my mind far too much to be healthy, really. starting new chemo Wed, already stressing! honestly, easy to say but it really doesn't solve anything, concentrate on your next appt and go armed with questions. xxx
I need to pluck up the courage and ask some questions.
Next appointment, would it be possible for you to either take someone with you, or have a friend or a family memeber join the appointment via a phone? Facing the team alone or facing them with a supportive person can make a difference.
About different drugs tackling the same problem: take for instance constipation. One drug designed to combat this would work by encouraging the intestines to contract. Another drug would attack from a different angle by pulling water from the rest of the body into the intestines. Completely different approaches, both designed to give the same result. I could give such examples when it comes to drugs designed to combat nausea, and so on. Chemo drugs also have different types of "weapons" at their disposal, each designed to attack a different structure or mechanism of the cancer cell. The failure of one drugs has no bearing on the chances of another drug to succeed.
As for what the surgeon does or doesn't know, I too would like to know where his estimate came from, especially since systemic treatment, such as chemo, fall within someone else's field of expertise, not his. A follow up question for him would be, "what are you basing this estimate on?" then go from there.
