Treatment after the surgery

keeprand

I am hoping someone can help me with a question.  My mother found a tumor in her breast.  We went to the doctor and she had it removed.  During the surgery, the doctor injected dye to see if any cancer cells were in the lymph nodes.  They were totally clean.  Just to make sure, they sent the tumor away for biopsy and that came back clean.  In our initial meeting with the team of doctors, they told us that if the tumor and lymph nodes are clean, then radiation would be the next step.  But now, she has doctors telling her that she "must" go through chemotherapy.  I am confused as to why she would have to go through such an extreme procedure when there are no cancer cells present?

Is there anyone out there that can shed some light on this situation?  Any information would be helpful.  Since her current doctors do not want to give me a resonable answer.

 Thanks-

LK

momof3boys

I can understand the lymph nodes being "clean" or "negative" for cancer. But, what is the pathology of the actual tumor? Your Mom should have a pathology report. If they're suggesting chemo, the tumor must not have been benign (non cancerous)?

Did she have an Oncotype test done?

lago

I think when they said everything is clean they meant the nodes are clear and the margins of the tumor are clear. That doesn't mean that the tumor wasn't cancerous. Will you be able to go with your mom when she visits the oncologist?