Unofficially Stage II - Waiting for CT Scan and Bone Scan

Mooshi

I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy about 5 weeks ago, and recently had my follow-up with the surgeon. Good news is the margins were clear. Also, the cancer cells were grade I.

Not-as-good news is there were just enough cancer cells in one of my lymph nodes to upgrade me from Stage I to Stage II. The other two lymph nodes (the surgeon removed 3 nodes during surgery) were clear.

I am awaiting the results of my CT Scan, and also have a bone scan booked at the end of June.

The surgeon mentioned that because the other two lymph nodes were clear of any cancer, that it would be extremely unlikely that the cancer had spread beyond the lymph nodes, and that she would be very surprised if the tests showed anything.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Any resources I can research? I'd like to keep myself busy since it seems I'll be waiting for a while before getting a definitive diagnosis.

Many thanks.

gb2115

Hi Mooshi,

It sounds like I had a similar path to what you're going though---except I was grade 2. I had one positive node (just enough to be bigger than a micromet) with the other 2 clear. They sent me for a CT and bone scan as well...thankfully I was able to do those on the same day, so only one IV. It was hard waiting for results because I had to wait through the Thanksgiving holiday. But thankfully, everything was clear.

Don't have any resources for you---but keep in mind that even with a positive lymph node, many many doctors don't send early stage breast cancer patients for the scans anymore because they usually turn up with clear results. My surgeon sent me for tests, but I get the impression the oncologist didn't find them necessary. Just a thought. That helped me worry **a little** less! I still worried though. You are not alone! :-)

The bone scan was easy by the way!!

Mooshi

gb2115, that does help very much, thank you! You must be from the States, yes? I'm up in Canada, and although we have a fantastic government healthcare program, we do have atrocious wait times. Same day testing is UNHEARD of here. When I got the radiologist's report that the tumours were highly suggestive of malignancy (Bi-RADS 5), the doctor ordered an urgent biopsy. URGENT meant 1 week lol!

Anyways, I have been told by a couple of medical practitioners that the odds of the cancer cells "jumping the hurdle" and spreading the the rest of the body are next to nil.

In any case, I will meet my oncologist for the first time tomorrow, and will have some more info on my diagnosis and treatment plan.

Sjacobs146

I had a positive node, but no bone scan. I did have a CT scan after chemo in preparation for rads, but nothing untoward showed up. My RO said that on occasion the CT will show tumor's in the lungs, but mine were clear

Mooshi

Sjacobs146, thank you for sharing!

ready2bedone

I had one positive node, so was upgraded to stage IIA but since it was an intramammary node and not auxiliary, and my sentinel nodes were clear, I don't need chemo or radiation. (It's IIA as a technicality, but they are treating it as IA.) My MRI & bone scan were also clear. I really sweated it our waiting on the bone scan results since my MRI showed a suspicious area on my breast bone. So I know how hard the wait is! But all turned out very well for me and I hope it does for you as well.

nye1980

I has one positive SN during mastectomy and my surgeon took out 28 nodes total. I had a CT scan and bone scan while admitted for the mastectomy. Terrifying, of course, especially when you know you are node positive. All clear. Ended up with 4/28 positive nodes. Had chemotherapy and radiation, repeat scans to follow up on a lung nodule, and all good. I'm a year out from mastectomy and that horrible day/week of waiting for results. My heart is with yours.