Wife’s staging I’m confused

Hi Mr Power

Bless you. I also had ‘no spread’ after scan and was graded at 2, which I believe was due to size of tumor 5cm and lymph node interference.  I had surgery first as mine was ‘slow’ growing ER and PR positive and HERS neg. I think chemo first to shrink tumor and then surgery.  I wasn’t staged as metastis was 0.  Hope this helps a little. xx

Hi Tracey, yeah we are just confused with all the different words for things. Kind of just want to hear she is going to be okay!

Hello, I’m sorry to hear about your wife’s diagnosis. As far as I am aware, grading relates to how abnormal the cancer cells are compared to healthy cells under a microscope. So it’s often discussed post biopsy. The second mass could be a different grade to the first one (if it is a cancer), or it could be the same. As you say, your wife is having a second biopsy.
ER- negative would suggest that the tumour does not have oestrogen / progesterone receptors.  My cancer was ER-positive, so I now take a hormone ‘blocker’ (a daily tablet) to suppress that. HER2 low means that very low levels of the HER2 protein were detected - I think. Personally, I was HER2 negative, as I had a score of zero. Your wife’s oncologist will discuss if they will give your wife an additional treatment for this.  Staging is often not confirmed until after primary treatment, mine wasn’t until then. 

Hello

i was diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer and suspected cancer in nymph nodes mine was HER2 negative but ER positive I had a mastectomy and lymph node removed. I did have  a bone scan and CT scan before the operation to make sure that my cancer had not spread because there was evidence that it was in my lymph nodes the scans came back clear so l had mastectomy and 12 lymph node removed 6 nodes had cancer so I am now having chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. They told me my stage after my mastectomy when the  tumour was removed for testing..

Hi

It’s a lot to take in. The main thing is it’s treatable and they will give her the best treatment and we have to believe in our medical professionals.  You will know more once the Chemo starts and the tumor starts shrinking.  There will be light at the end of your tunnel xx 

Hello sorry your wife (& you) are going through this. Feel free to look at my profile. I went through treatment in 2019/20. I was diagnosed initially with grade 2.5 / 3 HER2 + cancer and had chemo followed by surgery and targeted herceptin injections. Sizes and number of tumours seems to be a little fluid. Mine increased in size and number and I think this is par for the course but important you keep asking questions. I had an oestrogen positive tumour which they over looked until my daughter asked if all the tumours were being treated!! I seem to be doing ok despite this and also having (because of COVID) having a delay in my operation. Most important I think is your contribution because the patient is not always able to be their own best advocate.

I by the way seem to be doing ok and I am in my 70s. Lots of love and very best of luck through the journey xxx

Hi, sorry to hear of your wife's diagnosis and I wish you both all the very best for her treatment. Number staging is not used very often anymore. Grading refers to how active/abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope. Here's a good article about this https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breast-cancer/stages-types-grades/about-breast-cancer-staging-grades

Hope you find this useful, but if you have any questions, I have found that the Macmillan Support Line advisors are really helpful and happy to answer questions. I have called Macmillan on a number of occasions and they put my mind at rest. They are brilliant!

Amy x