recent breast cancer surgery

lonnie1

recent breast cancer surgery

lonnie1

good afternoon everyone -  I am looking for advice regarding my options post my surgery.  I recently had a cancer tumor removed from my breast as well as a limp-node.  The node tested negative for spread of the cancer as well as the tissue/muscles around the tumor.  The doctors are recommending Chemo and I wanted to confirm if it is required?  Oh.... I am five months from my babies delivery.  Can someone assist me!

lonnie1

I am concerned as I do not want to subject my baby to chemo as I am under significant stress and I believe the chemo will add more stress to me and the baby.  Can I wait post the baby and have radiation or is the Chemo required for my situation.

Anonymous

lonnie...It's really hard to say, hon, whether chemo is optional in your case, or highly adviseable because it depends so much upon the characteristics of your particular breast cancer. There are different types and different grades and it's also important to know if your tumor was estrogen-postive or not and if it over-expressed the Her2/neu gene. All of these are how it is determined whether chemo will be beneficial to you. And, finally, the size of the tumor is very important and, usually, if it is 2cm or more, chemo is advised.

Now your pregnancy adds yet another worry for you, of course, and I'm so very sorry that this had to happen to you at a time that should be only full of joy! But there are other young women on these boards who went through the same thing as you're going through and if you post under the "Young Women" section farther down on the boards, I'll bet you'll hear some of their stories. All I can say, at this point, is that your doctors should select a chemo regimen that can be effective but not at all harmful to your baby. There are such chemos. On the other hand, you should definitely ask your doctor straight out whether you can hold off chemo for 5 months. If your cancer isn't particularly aggressive, s/he may say it would be okay.

Hang in there, girl, and take your time asking questions and getting answers that you understand. Maybe see if your breast center or hospital has a social worker or counselor who can help you through some of this. And keep asking us questions too....that's what many of us are here for!

~Marin