Cancer hurting, is it growing? Is chemo shrinking?

Summerspring

hi,

My first tnbc tumor hurt and people would tell me cancer does not hurt when I was waiting for results of biopsy etc. it was cancer and yes it did hurt in that exact spot

Flash forward andthe area that it came back in started to hurt and I’ve since been diagnosed with it back in my lymphnodes. Sometimes I will feel sharp pains and aching. It is grade 3 and has grown fast (I had clear scans 3 months ago) but I’m also hoping after my last treatment maybe it’s shrinking? Did anyone else feel like they could feel theirs? Was it ever painful shrinking?

santabarbarian

I felt mine shrinking and had mild pain too. It felt like someone pulling a hair, but within my breast.

Spookiesmom

Under my arm, on the non cancer side, it would itch. Like poison Ivey itch. Then it would wake me at night, hurting. I could feel some swelling

I just found out today biopsy says reoccurrence.

santabarbarian

Spookiesmom, so sorry to hear this.

Summerspring

me too, so sorry. Was it also in your lymphnodes?

Spookiesmom

yes, it’s in the nodes. I had bmx, no nodes out on noncancer side. Hope this surgery doesn’t trigger LE on this side. Dominate side.

The only good thing is on the PET/ct I didn’t light up anywhere else.

santabarbarian

So glad you got this early and the pet scan is clear.

Summerspring

that’s good news. I am in the same boat. Lymphnodes lit up. Still very upset about it. Wishing all of you the best!

Spookiesmom- so are you having surgery and chemo or just surgery?

pesky904

I had an almost 7 cm tnbc tumor at diagnosis. It hurt and that's why I was so sure it wasn't cancer...but it was. Taxol didn't work and the tumor grew to 10 cm. But as soon as I was switched to AC, I definitely felt like I could feel it shrinking and there was pain along with that. My oncologist said it was the tumor cell death I was feeling.

Spookiesmom

I don’t know anything yet, I figured the BS, if he got reports and read yesterday, will give to staff, and get passed around. There are 4 surgeons in this practice. Last time my guy took my case to tumor board. Don’t know if he will this time. As RO said, Dr B is a hot commodity here. He’s the best around here.

I’m sure it will be surgery. Chemo, probably. What kind, won’t be red devil or any taxanes. I still have port from 7 years ago. Could be a pill. We’ll see.

santabarbarian

you might also ask about cyberknife or proton rads...

Birchbark26

I don’t know what the pain is for you, but I can relate that my daughter has pain in all her metastasis sights and the doctors ordered early scans. It was not a reoccurrence, however, she continues to have pain. The doctors also say they don’t think her pain is caused by the Herceptin or Perjeta.

I wish you all good outco

JFL

Summerspring, I have had pain while tumors were shrinking on many occasions. The pain has been in my liver mets. I did have two cancerous 2cm supraclavical lymph nodes with cancer at the time of mets diagnosis in 2014 that were palpable and visible above my clavical bones and those disappeared in a month's time and never returned. I don't recall feeling pain in those when they were shrinking. Everyone is different and the experience with each medication is different. Pain can definitely be caused by shrinking, dying mets. Hoping that is the case with you.