Positive lymph nodes from axillary clearance

Hi cuffcake2000

Sorry to hear that so many of your nodes were positive for cancer.  While I didn't have so many nodes positive I noticed that you haven't had any replies yet so I thought I'd reply to you.

Wishing you the best of luck with whatever comes next.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Hello Cuffcake2000 

I had a mastectomy last Nov and they took 14 nodes 10 of which were positive (same number as you) so I had L2 lymph node clearance. The difference was I had to have chemo as well as radiotherapy. I was PR and ER positive.

Try not  to worry follow your treatment plan and hope all will be well. I am doing ok been tough but you can do this xxx

Hi cuffcake2000

I also had a lymph node clearance following 2 out of 3 positive nodes.  After the lymph node clearance, I had 6 more positive nodes with 1 extracapsular spread.  I too was really scared and had to have chemo and another operation to get a clear margin.  So 3 ops in total, 18 weeks of chemo followed by 15 days of radiotherapy.  It has been a very long haul but I only have 2 radiotherapy fractions left.  It is fine to be scared but with the treatment plan you will get to the end with a smile.  It is tough there is no doubt and your breast care nurse will help you.  

Hi Janemb, thank you for replying. I too will be having chemo and radiotherapy. It was a shock to hear that so many of my nodes had been found with cancer in them. Nothing showed on the ultrasound and on examination so thought all would be ok. 
I know I am scared of chemo but I know it’s the next piece of my journey to get any cells roaming around.

Thank you and hope everything continues well.

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x

Hi JED12, thank you for replying. I was in shock at how many had been found positive. Out of the 9 positive I also found there was extra capsular spread on most of them but they didn’t say how many. There was also some other additional info to which scared me even more. It’s good my surgeon has removed it all but still scared incase of any further spread elsewhere. I just don’t know how long I had had my tumour before it was found. It was not something I had noticed as it was picked up on my first mammogram. I still have chemo and radiotherapy to go too and hopefully it won’t be long before I start the chemo so I can continue with my journey.

Sorry you had to have 3 ops that must have been very scary too. Hope they were able to go through the same areas so you don’t have lots of scarring.

I wish you all the best on the rest of your journey and your last 2 radio sessions. 

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x 

Hi Daisy53, thank you. Next on my plan is chemo and radiotherapy. Not looking forward to chemo but I know it’s something I need to have to make sure any roaming cancer cells are killed. In prep I have already got a few scarves and I also have looked at wigs just not got anything yet.  
Wishing you all the best for the rest of your journey.

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x

Hi I was not expecting chemo but although it's tough to get through you some how do staff were lovely. I did lose all my hair but it is now back and curly I finished treatment in April then had radiotherapy May/ June x 15 sessions now on meds for several years . I had lots of scans and no evidence of any cancer anywhere else so that was better news. Good luck you will do it as there is no alternative . Big hug keep chatting this site is great x️

Hi Cuffcake sorry to hear about the positive limp nodes.

I had a mastectomy on 7 September and then limp nodes clearance  on the 27 September 22 as the sentinel turns out positive .

It's hard not to stress or think about it but.its good that  they have removed the affected limpnodes and soon enough they will arrange a CT scan and bone marrow to make sure that everywhere else you are ok .

I have those booked after my first results as a precaution.

Any new symptoms or concerns please contact your dedicated nurse ,they are very helpful...

Best of luck and please keeps us posted with the progress .

Hey, 

I hope you’re okay!

Yes, after my mastectomy and node clearance they told me I had 12/17 positive nodes. I’ve never heard the term extracapsular spread before. I might have to ask my nurse if any of mine had this too! The node spread is the part of the whole process that I have found hardest to get my head around, because if you’re having a ‘down day’ it’s the scariest part of the diagnosis. But I had a counselling session with an amazing lady who said “it’s out and it’s done - cross that bit of the journey off and focus on the next bit because you have hope. If you didn’t have hope you could be cancer free at the end they wouldn’t be giving you strong treatment to get rid of it.”

Yes!  And it’s scary. I knew from a needle test that at least one node was cancerous so had a full clearance with my mastectomy but nothing prepared me for having 21 positive out of 27 and suddenly being told that accelerated chemo was proposed (every 2 weeks not every three - less time for me to recover but also less time to spread) which I’ve now done and I’m waiting for radio.  I’m not that much further along than you - I have found counselling helps to some extent but it is still very tough to get my head around and not panic with every ache and pain.   I put my energy into getting through that treatment plan the very best I can - keeping as well as I can while doing it  - treating it as a project.  It kind of works during the day but at night I sometimes lose it.  It is tough but your team are on your side and will offer everything they can.  I find it hard talking to people who just want to say “good job they found it early” and “you’ll be fine by Christmas” when that just isn’t the case and I’ve not formulated a response yet that it’s not always that simple… after radio I will have 10 years on Letrozole and 2years on Abemaciclib and Zoledronic Acid.  Plus some injections to make and keep me menopausal until it happens for real…