Operation and after plan

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Hello,

I hope you are all doing ok.

I have my 6th round of chemotherapy on the 29th December if all goes to plan, and I have a date for my operation on the 24th of Jan.

I have had an appointment with the surgeon and the oncologist today which has left me feeling meh.

The surgeon said that the chemo had really worked well on my nodes but my breast tumor is still the same size as the start. He said the lump is free so not attached to the chest wall and he will also take all of my nodes away.

The oncologist has said that it's going to be more than likely that I'll need more chemo after my operation and it'll be another 6 rounds!! 

Surely if they take the cancer away it would have gone or does it not work like that, I am so confused and upset. My daughter gets married in the early summer and I now just feel like I will for sure still be on treatment by then living these shitty side affects bald.

Has anyone had any positive outcomes when the operation has been done and the cancer has gone more than the MRI showed?

  • Hi, whilst our BC journey's are different as I had surgery first and now having chemo.  My oncologist said to me that even though my cancer had been taken away, she could not guarantee that there was not any.cancer cells in my body because 7 lymph nodes were infected and that is why chemo was recommended x

  • The chemo is done to make sure they don't leave behind any cancer cells that are too small to detect (individual cells would not show on the scans) so while you could be indeed completely cancer free at this point, they don't want to take any chance, however small. 

    I am back on chemo post surgery even though my lymph nodes were clear. It's tough but it's worth knowing I am doing everything possible to beat this.

  • Really like your positivity. I'm post lumpectomy awaiting start of chemo & will jump through any hoops to destroy any remaining cells.

  • Thank you for your explanation. I just was never told that chemo would be needed again after my operation so was a little oh no the op and 6 rounds of chemo haven't worked kind of thing. X

  • Yh I have had surgery, I am her2 positive so chemotherapy after surgery. My area was small 20mm and my nodes was clear. They removed my breast cancer with clear margins, and done a cavity shave of the area which was clear of any cells. I do have to another surgery when I finish chemo because they could not get clear margins on an area of dcis which was occult on my tests they had. They have said the dcis was moderate grade not high so chemotherapy first then my surgery. Best wishes xx