Need advice on getting conflicting information from doctors

Anonymous

Need advice on getting conflicting information from doctors

butterfly620

Hello! This is my first time posting (so excuse the newbie-isms!)...I am 36 and was diagnosed on 8/5/19 with IDC (grade 1), ER/PR positive, HER2 negative. The biopsy results showed cancer in both the palpable mass and an enlarged lymph node.

I went to two different surgeons and they both said I needed to be seen by an oncologist first because I needed to have treatment before the surgery since cancer was found in a lymph node. I went to the oncologist, and he said I needed to have surgery first.

I know that there isn't a blanket treatment, but I can't help but feel a little lost. I figured I would come on here and ask if anyone else has run into this, and what did you do?...Any advice for me? I'm very thankful that I have been able to be seen so quickly by these doctors, but then when they aren't on the same page, I don't really know where to turn or what to think.

Thank you!

S3K5

butterfly620 , sorry to hear about your diagnosis at such a young age.

Did the breast surgeons recommend treatment first to reduce the size of your lump? What is the size of the lump that they visualize on the images? Do they suspect it is large? For larger lumps, chemotherapy is given first. If you google 'neoadjuvant' chemotherapy, you can read up on the details.

If the lump is small, generally surgery is done first. Based on the pathology report, the oncologist decides on the treatment plan. This is based on my personal experience. Everyone is different, so please check with your oncologist to clarify your situation.

All the best,

S3K5.

OnTarget

My BS and MO are in the same NCI center and they spoke to each other before the MO spoke to me, so they had a united front. My BS originally thought neoadjuvant chemo might be warranted, but the MO said no since my nodes looked clear. The MO decided in that case, and the BS didn't disagree. My nodes were clear, so it was a good choice for my situation.

A friend of mine is in her early 30's and was also diagnosed around the same time as me. She is close to having triple negative cancer, plus enlarged nodes and she was given neoadjuvant chemo. All of her docs, both first and second opinion, agreed on neoadjuvant chemo.

If you are worried, a second MO opinion may be warranted.