Has anyone here got away with a lumpectomy and radiotherapy without needing chemotherapy? I'm so new that I don't know whether this is a thing. So much information to take in.
I'm so sorry to meet you here. There's an awful lot to take in and everyone is different. Waiting to hear about your treatment is a really distressing time, but it gets easier when you have more knowledge.
I've also been one of the lucky ones, my 2.5cm lump was discovered at a routine mammogram, it was oestrogen and progesterone positive and HER2 negative. The biopsy after my operation showed it hadn't spread through my lymph nodes and I'm now on oestrogen suppressing medication and awaiting radiotherapy. A Prosigna (genetic) test revealed that there is only a small chance I'll develop a related cancer somewhere else in my body in the next decade. I've been spared chemotherapy (even for preventing future problems). Click on my name to find a link to my Macmillan blog if you want to read more.
I am a singer (most recently with virtual choirs) which has kept me going in difficult times. That, and the kindness of others, along with chocolate ....
Hi Grogg. Can you please tell me if they told you what grade your dcis was, or did you ask. I was diagnosed on August 16th, they didn't mention the grade.
Sorry. Here they are...G/grade, S/ Stage, ER/estrogen receptor, PR/progesterone receptor, HER/human epidermal growth factor receptor. The Oncotype test is to determine whether a patient requires chemotherapy but, as I understand it, this test is only used when there is no lymph node involvement.
(Excuse the bold, don’t know what happened during typing!)
Thank you for explaining, I had a lumpectomy 4 weeks ago, plus lymph nodes removed. Mine is too much estrogen in my body. They removed the 3.5cm lump and a 1cm margin, but my margin has shown signs of pre cancerous cells, so I've got to have another operation to remove a bit more to make a bigger margin. My lymph nodes were clear, thank goodness. Now it's a waiting game, just as I was stating to feel a bit more like me again. I feel like I've taken a step backwards.
I hope you're recovering well. I was shocked how many emotions I've been through since my operation!!
You’re welcome. Sorry you’re going through this and a second surgery. It certainly is a rollercoaster of emotions we go through with diagnosis. At times I find it hard to believe just what’s happened these past few months, it’s all-consuming but grateful for such quick treatment by the NHS.
