Your Chances of Recurrence

sheila63

Hi Everyone,

I have been seeing so many different numbers for recurrence levels I just wanted to ask what your doctor told you after your treatment was completed.  I know this is a factor of tumor size, affected lymph nodes etc., and taking into consideration that TN can behave differently from other types of BC.  

My doctor said my recurrence rate is 30%.  

KSteve

My Onc told me last fall that I could pop a bottle of champagne since I hit the two year mark.  He says TN typically reoccurs within that time frame.  However, you'll notice exceptions to that all over these boards.  The bottom line is, once he said that, I was able to get my brain to focus on my future.  Instead of "what if it comes back" or "should I not make plans too far out just in case".  Don't get me wrong, it's always in the back of my mind.  I just don't let it to the front very often. 

Hugs,

Kathy

PeggySull

Gee, 30 percent sounds high at your stage. I've looked the survival rates here and in abstracts of scientific articles and it's always so damn confusing.



I'm hitting this with everything available in medical terms and afterwards I'm going to exercise an hour each day and eat a plant based diet and do my follow ups religiously. There may be drugs similar to tamoxifen for us tnbc a down the line that will further decrease chances of recurrence.



After that my hope is to let it go and trust the universe. I'm sure I'll be scared near the time of check ups, etc. but I'll tell myself I've done all that's possible.



If I get some stats on survival that are backed by science and more straightforward I will post what I find.



Peggy

placid44

What did your doctors recommend as far as radiation for your 2012 diagnosis? I had a bilateral mastectomy, but I am still getting radiation. It lowers risk of local recurrence. Again, whatever your docs recommend and you are comfortable with.

susan1231

I was initially diagnosed in April 2010.  BRCA 1 & TN.   Tumor was in left breast approx. 4 cm.   Had bilateral mastectomy followed by chemo (4 rounds Adriamcyn and 4 rounds Taxol).    Fast forward to November 2012 and abnormality shows up in right breast during a routine pet scan.    Turned out it was a 1.2 cm mass - surgeon removed it and had clear margins all around but again it was TN.  I am currently undergoing radiation (36 total) along with low-dose chemo treatments weekly (Taxol).    Dr will be presenting my case to the tumor board in the next week or so to determine what is to follow.   After a 3-4 week break following the end of radiation she is thinking I will need additional chemo but wanting opinion as to what drugs to use.     This was considered a "second primary diagnosis" and not a recurrance of my original diagnosis since it showed up on the opposite side.    As I have been told, having a mastectomy does not guarantee that ALL breast tissue will be removed; microscopic pieces can remain behind and that is what they think happened in my case.