Chemo before mastectomy

Hi Dkbythesea

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed. The reason they want you to have chemo first is to shrink the tumour. It’s unusual for breast cancer to develop quicky particularly at grade 2. I had chemo first when I was diagnosed with grade 3 triple negative breast cancer. The tumour in my breast was 16mm and the chemo shrunk it down to 3mm.  I had a CT scan after I had my surgery as there was residual cancer in my breast and one node and the CT scan came back clear.

If you haven’t already ring your breast care nurse and tell them you found a new lump.

Wishing you the best of luck with your treatment.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Hi, I’m stage 2, grade 2 and had chemo first. My tumour shrunk from 35mm to 13mm, which meant they knew the drugs were working and surgery was less invasive. Not sure how that relates to a mastectomy, I had a lumpectomy last week with a few lymph nodes also removed. One had already been identified as having traces of cancer cells by biopsy before chemotherapy started. I was worried about it spreading in this time (March 2022 mammogram was clear but had a lump big enough to feel by December 2022, so in my mind cancer can grow quickly). I put my trust in the specialists and am very pleased they went this neoadjuvant route for me. I would ask your cancer nurse or consultant to explain why they have suggested this route for you. 

Best wishes,

Sue

I was diagnosed stage 2b grade 3 invasive ductual breast cancer oestrogen positive and her2 positive. Lump 21 mm and in 2 lymph nodes, they have started me on chemo 1st, just had my 4th cycle of 6 yesterday and started phesgo injections, then will have lumpectomy and then radiotheraphy. 

Thank you so much for the reply and info. I wish you the best with your treatment too.

Deb

Thank you so much. Good luck with your treatment too x