Cancer in opposite lymph node

mls72

Hello. I was first diagnosed in 2015 ER/PR+. Had bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. CA on right with 1 positive node. At that time I chose not to do chemotherapy. Early 2017 I was diagnosed with a recurrence again in my right side. I finished chemo in August 2017,I just had another mastectomy on the right and five positive nodes on my left side. Therefore they staged me at Stage IV. My surgeon thinks that my right lymph node disrupted my left lymph node during my initial surgery in 2015. Has anyone else experienced this? How are you doing? I feel very afraid for my life, because I don't know many people with a similar issue. Everyone says if your Stage IV it has to be in another organ. But both my breast surgeon and oncologist say I'm stage IV because there is no cancer in my left breast, but it's in my left lymph nodes. And I wonder if it went to my left one else where will it will it will it go next?

Moderators

Hi mls, and welcome to Breastcancer.org!

We're sorry you haven't received any responses here yet, but it's a little quiet around here on the weekends -- we hope our post will "bump" your post into the active topics and someone with some advice can stop by with some good information for you. We're so sorry you're dealing with this, but we're really glad you found us. You're sure to find our incredible community a valuable resource of support, information, and advice.

Please check back in often and let us know how you're doing. We're all here for you!

--The Mods

cive

mls72, sorry you've had such a rough time with this.  Stage IV is actually a misnomer for those of us who have only metastases, while you in fact are stage IV!  Your cancer has moved from it's initial location although it is still in the area of your breasts.  Your treatment will be like a treatment for a chronic disease such as diabetes.  No one knows where or when it will go next.  

Likely you will be prescribed Tamoxifen or an AI depending on whether you are in menopause or not which is the same treatment you would likely have been prescribed if it had not gotten to your other lymph nodes.  There are many people on this board that have been stage IV or had mets for a 10 years or more.   

minxie

My original cancer was on my right side. Then I got a tumor in my left lung, which was removed. Then cancer in some lymph nodes on the left. So far it has stayed contained to those lymph nodes.