Best chemo for 3N?

 

I'd like to keep the surgeries to a minimum, obviously, and do the expanders at the time of surgery.  However, can they do radiation with the expander if the margins don't come back clear after surgery?

 

I was sitting in chemo this morning mulling all this and thinking I do NOT want to go through all this again!

I honestly wished they would have removed both breast, but both the surgeon and oncologist said it was not medically necessary and if I wanted it later I could do it then. I got diagnosed and had the lumpectomy and sentinal node dissection within 4 days of getting my biopsy report back. Mine was grade 3 and they wanted to move right away. I did chemo and still have 15 more radiations to go. I think about having  a double mastectomy daily. My mother had her 19 years ago and she is still with us. Maybe in a few months I will go back and have it done. I check my breast everyday wondering if there is another lump.

I turn 40 next Monday and am so sad to be 40, bald, no eyelashes/eyebrows and fat. I used to be pretty with nice blonde hair and the little bit of hair coming in is grey! how did that happen? I guess I should be thankful that I am alive and have 7 children and a husband who needs and loves me.

Good Luck with the decision you choose, but don't wait too long.

Katie

But, it is what it is, and I'm alive. :)

I had breast conservation surgery for a stage 1 (18mm) tumour and am currently having chemo.  I will have to choose in the next 6 weeks or so if at the end of the chemo i wish to proceed with 4 weeks of radiotherapy or have a bilateral mastecomy and reconstruction. 

This has come up because of the type of tumour (TN and basal features confirmed by the histological staining of markers in the tumour) possibly being linked to an inherited BRCA1/2 mutation.  Even though I do not have a strong family history of Breast Cancer I have elected to be BRCA tested.  If it turns out I carry the mutation then I will most likely opt for bilateral mastectomy and oophorectomy due to the increased chance of developing another cancer.  If it turns out that I do not have a BRCA mutation then my Drs have offered my MRI scans as screening tests if I elect to keep my breasts.

The choices are not clear cut and usually very personal and individual but having as much information as possible helps I think.

 

Possum

 

I did a bilateral although my tumor was only in one breast because I had also been told it was easier to match them afterwards. But even more importantly, my breast cancer was discovered while preparing for breast reduction surgery. It didn't make sense to remove one and then have the other still reduced - why not do both at the same time.

My tx. was cytoxan & taxotere - my insurance wouldn't approve any of the platinums or even Xeloda which I had asked for because it was adjuvant therapy for me.

 

I was reading your post with interest and came to the part where you said your tumor was basal.  Was this on your path report or did they test it separately?  Whether or not you are basal atleast for now seems to play a big role in this trip neg situation.  I would like to find out how you can get this done.  I had read it had to be done by a special test.

 

Yes having all the information you can, doing your research, asking questions will help you to make that decision which as you said is very

personal and one you have to make yourself.  You will have time to think.

 

I didn't have any special test's done it was just in my Path report and showed up on the breast that wasn't known to have cancer, when I asked my onc about the meaning of basil cell found in the other breast he told me that it was the beging of the cell's turning to cancer. 

Although there has been a lot of information come out about the importance of basil cell's and TNBC....  Not sure if that helps answer your question or not....

 

 

Happy Friday

 

Beth Anne

 

Pam .. Her doctor really didn't go into pathology detail other than DCIS ( which is one of the reasons we are finding a new onc)  but my mom was good doing her mammos until about 3 years ago when she lost her insurance(loss of job) and up until then she was all clear she found her lump in the left breast june of 2007 but again no insurance she was trying to get insurance at that point and she didn't want a diagnosis to keep her from getting insurance then my grandpa had a heart attack and while he was hopitalized with that and we were all caring for my grandma who passed away while grandpa was still hospitalized.. this year has been a whirlwind of events   Anyhow in February this year I found a cheapo insurance for my mom and it only covered "well " visits so after she got the mammo done I found the Show Me Health Women program in Missouri that helped with all the finanacials and now it has flipped into state medicaid with the BCCT program. When I found this program I was blown away that doctors or hospitals don't make them known. Too many people put off or can do these test for lack of insurance and there are these programs out there that nobody tells you about.. it truly is sad .

Anway back to the pathology he told us DCIS and triple negative that's about it. I have requested all of her medical records to put in a book and to bring to the new doctor.  And since my sister and I take turns with the doctor appointments I went out the other night and bought a voice recorder so that all doctor sessions could be taped for future reference in case we don't understand something or forgot something we have it.  (we should have done this to begin with) my mom doesn't listen to the doctors when we go she just kind of zones out so we are her voice and ears.