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Anyone else Stage 1?

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Melissaashley View Drop Down
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    Posted: Sep 13 2019 at 1:52pm
hi everyone,
I am 37 years old and was recently diagnosed with TNBC. My tumor is 1.2 cm, grade 2. I have my lymph node biopsy on Monday but they believe they are clear. 
I am blessed that I found it early but unfortunately I have a suppressed immune system.
They are still suggesting the typical 5 months of chemo, lumpectomy, radiology. I am extremely worried my body won’t handle chemo. Has anyone been diagnosed early and opted out of chemo? 
I am considering Lumpectomy, radiation and then alternative therapies to try and build my immune system..
I am extremely worried about not doing chemo as all the research is only for this treatment... but I am also worried to go through it as my body may not handle... and the long term risks and side effects as I am young..
my oncologist hasn’t been able to provide me with any statistics where this type of cancer has been detected so early. Would love some insight. Thank you
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Laurarev View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Laurarev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 14 2019 at 12:22pm
Hi Melissa... Laura here. I was recently diagnosed with TNBC as well. Mine is stage 1c grade 3. My tumor was 9mm (they originally thought it was 13mm until they took it out. I had 2 sentinel nodes taken out, and thank God I do not have any node involvement. I was diagnosed Memorial Day weekend, had my lumpectomy in June 25th, and began chemo I’m july 29th. This past week I finished my last AC and next Monday I will start 12 weeks of taxol. I am a bit older than you, 46 yrs old, and I do not have a compromised immune system,  it I did have a major complication prior to starting chemo. I went in for a routine port placement 10 days before starting my regimen, and my surgeon said I had “abnormal anatomy”. He nicked several of my arteries causing me to have something called a hemothorax and a pneumothorax. What this means is that I had/have about a soda cans worth of blood pooling around my pleural cavity. I was hospitalized for a week and told the blood would eventually reabsorb into my body. It hasn’t done so yet, they are saying it may take months, and could cause permanent scarring and damage. The reason I’m telling you this is because my oncologist felt it was imperative to start chemo on time and as planned. I believe the research shows that it is best to start the chemo within or around 30 days after the lumpectomy. So needless to say I went into my chemo regimen in a very declined state of health. My body had been through so much and I wasn’t even close to healed (I’m still not). AC chemo is hard enough as it is, let alone with compromised health. It was not easy, and at times I thought I couldn’t get through it... but I did! You will be amazed at what your body can endure and is capable of! Sending hugs XOXO
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bh7509 View Drop Down
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Hello ladies, I've been diagnosed with TNBC, had numerous scans, biopsies, bloodwork, yada yada.  I'm located about 45 miles NW of Houston and have elected to have treatment at the Houston Medical Center's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.  

I knew in early spring that I had a large lump; however, decided to hold off as my mother was ill and in a long dying phase being cared for at home by my sisters and me. After her passing in July, I hit the doctors.  I'm Grade 3 / Stage 3 and the lump measures 5.5cm x 4.2 cm x 3.4cm with a river flowing outward that has a separate measurement. I am waiting for BRCA testing to complete as that dictates my treatment plan.  Hopefully I'll have that by 9/20. I'm 60 and was informed that this is usually in younger women.  My mother and her sister both had estogen positive breast cancer 15 years ago. But guess I'm special :). I do know what breast surgery feels like as I had a bilateral breast reduction just as my mom was diagnosed with cancer.  I had about 5 1/2 pounds removed.....gosh I get to do that again...hmmmmm.

I'll have chemo first, surgery (only God knows if a lumpectomy, masectomy or double masectomy followed by radiation.

Your port placement issue seems such a needless thing. I thought it's ultrasound guided and the doctor should have seen your anatomy, but they are only human and now you have a big bloody blob which I think must come with it's own set of discomfort (?).

I see a lot of very young women at MD Anderson and I ache for them.  I think if they can deal with it all then certainly I can. I've already raised my family and these young women either don't have kids, don't know if they will be able to or they have little ones now while they are going thru such rough ordeal.

I wish y'all all the best!

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Kellyless View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kellyless Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 16 2019 at 11:42pm
Welcome Melissa, I'm so sorry you're going thru this so young. And after already dealing with serious health issues, that just seems terribly unfair! I've been hanging around here for 10 years, we've had many women go thru treatment with autoimmune issues. Monarch, who I met here has an autoimmune issue and a seizure disorder as well. She's made it thru the A.C. And is 1/3 thru Taxol as of tomorrow. It can be done, I feel it's more important because you are young and you may have compromised immune issues. Radiation and surgery only address your breast disease. The important issue with our disease is that it travels beyond the breast early and quickly. Unfortunately it seems to be more aggressive in younger women, a concern for you for sure. And as for studies on not doing chemo, they have studied it, they compare the success of treatments to patients that don't do treatment often. A whole lot of long term studies have shown that so far chemo is our best chance. Your doctors will work with you to control the side effects and to get you thru. For chemo, 5 months is not a long time, especially considering the consequences of our disease spreading beyond the breast and immediate nodes. 

Welcome BH! I'm sorry you are having to go thru this so soon after the loss of your mom. My mom died almost one year exactly before my first diagnosis. It's just double tough. But you get to go to MDA for all your treatment! I had a recurrence 3 years ago and was lucky to get into MDA for a second opinion. My husband and I were blown away, truly one of the most impressive things we've been thru. I went back for scans and appointments with my doctor there throughout treatment, even tho I love my doctors and facility here in Dallas. You could not be in a  better place.

Laura - you made it thru AC!!! I was so worried about you starting while you were still suffering from that horrible port surgery. has your chest healed? You had just the toughest of starts, congratulations for getting done with the A.C. on schedule even! You are super tough, I'm so impressed. Cancer doesn't stand a chance with you Clap
IDC, 2.2 cm, Stage IIb,lumpectomy 1/30/09 ACx4,Tx4 36 rads
6/1/16 Local recurrence same breast, same spot 1.8cm Carb.4x every 3 wks, Taxol 12x once wk. Dbl Mast. PCR!! Reconstruction fail, NED!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Windhover Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 18 2019 at 10:45pm
Hi, I was recently diagnosed with TNBC, stage 1, grade 2.  I had a lumpectomy about 3 weeks ago and will start chemo in another week or so, then a break followed by radiation. I am substantially older than many of those whose posts I've just read, am a little nervous about the chemo, but am geared up to get through it. I apologize if this is irrelevant, but I find  myself thinking so much about my mom, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the early 60's  at age 43. Many treatments considered standard now didn't exist or were in their infancy; especially sadly, the culture of the time meant that there was very little in the way of emotional or educational support for women with that diagnosis.  Any discussion at all of breast cancer was discouraged, identification of resources and education pretty much didn't exist, and for her there was no forum through which she could talk to and receive support from others going through the same thing. It was a period of terrible loneliness for her, and I know it would have been a godsend for her to have a group like this. I am so glad and grateful it exists now, and know that she would be too. My very best wishes to all of you as we navigate our way.
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Laurarev View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Laurarev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 19 2019 at 8:09am
Thank you Kellly! Yes, it certainly was a tough start.. but I made it through the AC. whew! There were many times I thought I wouldn’t, where I would just say to myself “this is it, I’m done. I feel like I’m dying”. But through the grace of God, and the support of all of you, I’m still here to speak about it! I’m not going to lie, or sugar coat it for anyone. It’s awful, just awful:( but we are fighters, and we persevere. 

God willing the taxol will be much easier on my body than the AC was. I had to go into my infusion center yesterday because I could just tell that at this point in week two I should’ve been bouncing back a little better. I’m just so fatigued, weak, short of breath, and dizzy. Turns out I’m now anemic. So I’m  praying that doesn’t intensify and side effects of the taxol. Ugh! It’s always something. Well, my oncologist said were over the hump! So I’m going to take those encouraging words and run with them! 
I hope all of you are doing well. Have a great day. 😊
Laura 
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Lawsonval View Drop Down
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I'm stage 1b, N0, 7mm tumor, no nodes involved, grade 3, ki 67- 75%, so small but aggressive.  I had a lumpectomy first and now am in chemotherapy and will have radiation afterward chemo finishes, so similar to you.  No mutations for breast cancer found.  I was in the "consider chemo" stage which is between 5 mm and 10 mm tumor, which I found very disconcerting.  I chose to have chemo to be sure I had done everything I could to kill the cancer.  I'm 64, and have had two treatments, it has really kicked my butt, but continuing my way through.   The typical guidelines are < 5mm no chemo, >10 mm do chemo for this type of cancer assuming negative lymph nodes.  This site and the Facebook page have really helped me get a better understanding of what i am facing.  Good Luck

Edited by Lawsonval - Sep 19 2019 at 3:58pm
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Laurarev View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Laurarev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 21 2019 at 1:39pm
I didn’t realize there was a “consider chemo” stage. Being 9mm myself I guess I would fit into that group also, but no one ever presented it to me that way. the only thing I did have happen, was that two different oncologists recommended two different treatments. The first said AC-T. The second opinion (from memorial Sloan Kettering) was for an entirely different regimen. I don’t remember the name of it, but she said it was used years ago and had much milder side effects. She said there was no risk of heart damage like with the AC, but it’s effectivness was very slightly lower. She said that wouldn’t matter for me because my tumor was so small and no node involvement, but I wasn’t taking any chances.. so I went with the AC-T.  I have finished the AC part and on Monday I will begin 12 weeks of taxol. 

Does anyone on here know if I should start taking b-12 vitamins? I think I read somewhere that it’s good to take them during taxol to prevent neuropathy, but I asked my chemo nurses about it and they said they never heard that. I also read somewhere that I should ice my hands and feet during the infusion, but the nurses didn’t know about that either. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Also, did anyone’s hair start growing back while on taxol? Mine is coming in already and I would hate for it to fall out all over again. Is it safe to take those sugar bear vitamins during the taxol to help promote hair growth? 

Laura 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WEIMMOM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 22 2019 at 8:40am
Hi:  I have recently been diagnosed with stage 1, grade 3 TNBC.  I was fortunate to discover a 1.5cm lump just 4 months after a mammogram.  I had tests done, biopsy and mastectomy on right breast within 3 weeks of finding the lump.  I became septic 12 days post operative.  I have kidney disease (FSGS) and nephrotic syndrome, Rheumatoid arthritis as well as MGUS.  Chemo is recommended, however, my kidneys are already compromised.  I am also extremely anemic at 72.  Any one else ventured this road with the existing complications I have?  I just turned 63 (day of my results).  Thanks and my best to all of you who are on this journey!

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