NO PCR FEEL LIKE A FAILURE!

amybirnbaum1

Hi all, I had my lumpectomy and node biopsy this week. Good news is margins are clear and nodes are clear, but unfortunately still had residual tumor (7 mm from 1.8 cm) I am disappointed and know this raises my chances for recurrence. Anyone else get this news this week? All that chemo! Nearly killed me! Pathologically staged at 1B now.

MinusTwo

Amy - sorry you didn't have pCR. I expect you are HER2+ because of the forum? So that would mean radiation & continuing Herceptin anyway. If you put your diagnosis & treatments to date in my profile, people would be better able to comment. I see that you posted lots of different threads so I'm not going to try to go back & read the history. It's easier to keep to one or two threads so the story doesn't get lost.

YOU are not a failure. You are not at fault. You did not ask for this cancer nor did you deserve it. Chemo & surgery failed you. I'm sort of surprised that the surgeon didn't go ahead and do a mastectomy in order to get the clear margins. Will they do that now?

I had 6 rounds of TCHP. DId not have pCR. So after surgery (which supposedly DID have clear margins) my MO recommended 4 rounds of AC just to mop up whatever might be roaming around. I was only able to manage 3 rounds. After a very short rest, I started radiation and continued on Herceptin for 17 more cycles. I did not continue on the Perjeta since if caused wild diarrhea.

Maybe you've heard all this on one of your other threads - but hang in there YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE.

amybirnbaum1

Hi Minus Two!

Thanks for your reply. Yes triple positive. We did get clear margins and clean nodes. Never considered a mastectomy based on surgeon and MO advice.

Imani

I had 0.4mm left . I am one of the few who I know who was hoping not to achieve PCR because I wanted to get kadcyla instead of herceptin and could not have got kadcyla without residual.

You will be okay