Mum with mets to Supraclavicular lymph nodes. Help!?!

goldie78

Mum with mets to Supraclavicular lymph nodes. Help!?!

goldie78

Hi everyone,

My beautiful mum was diagnosed with grade 3 BC back in Aug 09.  She was advised by her surgeon that a lumpectomy would be the way forward as the lump was only small under 1cm. After the operation the margins weren't clear and she had to wait a further 8 wks (!) for a Masectomy.  A couple of days before Xmas she was told her pathology results were good. There was no cancer in the arm lymph nodes and only pre cancerous cells left in the breast tissueafter the Masectomy.  In the begining of Jan mum noticed sore lumps around her collar bone and originally thought it would be a reaction to the 4 lymph nodes take from her left arm.  Howerver after an ultra sound and biopsy are worst fears were realised and the cancer has spread.  Has anyone else got mets to the Superavaicular Lymph Nodes?? What treatment are you having and how is it going???  I am angry as my mum was talked out of a masectomy by her surgeon and had she had the treatment she originally wanted she would have started life saving chemo much earlier. I am also scared as this all seems to be happening so quickly

 Thanks for you help x x 

SpunkyGirl

Goldie,

I'm so sorry your mum is going through all this.  I think the best place you might find answers is to go to the Stage IV boards and ask there.  The girls there are very knowledgeable and can help you.  I can tell you that there are so many good medicines out there now.  Hopefully, your mom will have a lot of options to look at.  One other piece of info you will need is her HER2 status (positive or negative) and ER status (same).  The answers to these questions will drive some of the medication decisions.

I hope you find awesome doctors and great treatment options.

Hugs

Bobbie

goldie78

Oh is her recurrence Stage 4 then?? I was wondering whether the nodes in the neck counted and Stage 3 inoperable?? Her body scan came back clear the cancer was confined to the neck nodes.

 Thanks for your help X

SpunkyGirl

Goldie,

I honestly don't know if she's considered Stage IV or not.  Has she had any chemo so far?  Is she ER or HER2 positive?  All of those factors will dictate her chemotherapy.  I'm sorry to have alarmed you about the Stage IV thing.  I do know that there have been a few women here who've had mets to the neck nodes, so hopefully someone can come along and help.

Hugs

Bobbie

Enjoyful

I recently had a recurrence to lymph nodes in my neck.  They were above the supraclavicular chain, so I was told that mine is Stage IV.  I think a superclav recurrence might be III.  Best to ask the dr.

Edited to add:

Radiation might be an option for your your mum.  It wasn't for me because the recurrence was within the previously irradiated field.

Best of luck!

E

redsox

I believe spread to the supraclavicular nodes would make it Stage IIIC, but not Stage IV.  Obviously, she should find out from her doctor.

Here is a website with the staging system definitions:

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_breast_cancer_staged_5.asp

goldie78

Thanks for all your help ladies. Mum hasn't been told her stage yet as a few days before Xmas she was told she was Stage 1, so it has all been a bit of a shock and at the moment she is taking everything in at her own pace.

They bought her Chemo fwd a week and she had her first round last week. She initially she said the neck tumors doubled in size about 3 days after the Chemo session.  But is a bit happier as they seem to have quietened down now.  She tells me she is HER2- and ER-.

The oncologist wants to see how the tumors react to the chemo before she gets a prognosis report.

Has anyone heard about gammar knife radiation to treat inoperable tumors?? 

I have found this website and discussion board so helpful for me emotionally as i thought i was alone and how could this happen to my mum when she is such a beautiful kind person?? It has made me realise how many wonderful people are being affected by this dreadful diease.

 I have tried to get mum to log in, but she says she isn't ready yet. But she like to hear bits of positive information i read on here, so i let her now.

Thanks again, you're all so helpful x x 

hansenlinnea1

I appear to be facing a similar situation. I am 15 months out of chemo/rads for stageIII/grade IIIb invasive BC, 4 nodes positive, er+/pr+/her2-

.  My neck lymph nodes, especially at my collar bone, behind my knee on the BC side, and  under my left arm have been swollen for about 2 months with occasional fever. I am having scans done tomorrow.. My blood work this week is pointing to lymphoma according to my oncologist...I am terrified and have not researched this possibility much until today.  Is lymphoma common after BC, and what are the chances I had lymphoma first and it spread to the breast? In that case my chemo cocktail would not have addressed the lymphoma, right?

My mind is spinning. Any advice would be welcomed.

Linnea

joyliz

I have had spread to supraclavicular nodes in 2005 and these all disappeared with a few months of Herceptin. They may be back now on the other side but I have been clear for over 4 years, twice as long as predicted.

cabmom

Can anyone tell me what your symptoms were with this?  I have had pain in that area and a swollen lymph node in my neck for about a month now.  My reg doctor, surgeon and oncologist have all checked it and don't seem alarmed.  My surgeon even did an ultrasound and said it looked like a normal lymph node.  For about the past week, I've had ear pain and feel a little weird on that side of my neck.  Not sure if I should be alarmed since everyone seems to think it's okay but I am.  If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate the feedback. 

rtpana

I am a 5 year survivor and have been experiencing your same symptoms. I am getting a PET/CT scan on Monday so I think your doc should be more aggressive in figuring out what the problem is.

Padiddle

I had a supraclavicular tumor (opposite side), 9 years after original stage IIb diagnosis.  This was the beginning of my metastatic disease with bone mets and various small lesions in other areas.  Once she is staged and scans are done, the treatment plan can be developed.  Other factors include whether or not she is post or premenopausal.  Hugs to you and your Mom.  Jean

Vidyaansh

I am going through the subclavicle malignancy..how hard is the surgery in that area..as m

Confused

MinusTwo

Vidyaansh - This thread has not been active since 2011. You may get some answers here, but you can check the main BCO site for other options. Sorry for your diagnosis.

Vidyaansh

thank

KBeee

You also can start a new thread. I hope all goes well for your mum.