Mom just got news she IDC Stage 3 with Lymph nodes involved

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Christinalynn
Christinalynn Member Posts: 16
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

Hi Everyone,

My name is Christina. I am 21 years old and have 2 daughters. Madison 2 and Cassie 1. My mom just recieved news that she has Stage 3 IDC. She has a lump on her right breast and a lump under her arm. She is having pain in her arm. The doctors currently don't know if the cancer has spread. I believe the CT is scheduled for next week. Right now their plan is chemo for 4 months every 2 weeks. Then surgury and radiation. Currently the lump in her breast is too big to remove. They are worried that if they did the surgury now that they wouldn't get it all and then it would spread. My mother is very worried and depressed. She does not have access to the internet so I have been doing my best to gather the information she needs. However, she is holding back from me some of her feelings because she to doesn't want to hurt me. I feel helpless and I want to help her as much as I can. I am her only child and things with her husband aren't the best. So, I am asking if anyone know of anything I can do to help her through this. I wanted to get her some books she could read. Is there any that you recommend? She is very worried about the chemo and the long fight. She doesn't think she is going to make it and has tons of questions about the chemo. If anyone has any suggestion on what I can do or tell her please let me know. Her pathology report said that she was Estrogen (-), Progestion (-), and Her-2. With Nucleur Grade 2/3

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited March 2009

    Is she Her2 - (negative) as well?

    Oh christina I am sorry about all of this. The beginning is always so hard ..but once she has her treatment plan things roll better.  You mothers docs are on the right path though. Chemo  is used to shrink the tumor FIRST so that they can remove it succesfully at surgery. I had this myself and a lot of woman on this board have. I think it is becoming standard of care for woman with tumors who are larger. After surgery she will have radiation due to the lymph node involvment.

    Untill your mothers docs have the results from all her scans they will discuss her treatment plan. Untill...then just be there for her and listen.the internet can have scary statistics and stuff so be careful serching for info . This site has A LOT of information its very good.

    A lot of woman have gone through chemo..in your moms case it is a MUST...it can be a little rough but it is completely doable to fight this.

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  • nelia48
    nelia48 Member Posts: 539
    edited March 2009

    So sorry to hear this, Christina!  But it is NOT the end of the world, even though your mom might think so!  I, too, was diagnosed with stage 3b cancer, the tumor breaking through the skin and way too large to do surgery first.  My journey started in July of 2008, and I'm just about done with it all.  Chemo was VERY tough, but I made it through, and it shrunk the tumor to just about nothing.  It also shrunk the stuff under my arms.  She is not alone in this fight, and there is hope and there is a tomorrow. 

    You know, sometimes those feelings can be soooo hard to express --- you don't even know what the feelings are at first.  Be patient with your Mom.  Find out all you can about her type of cancer, and talk to her about it openly, letting her know that YOU are not afraid to talk of it to her.  That will help a lot. 

    I think it's great that you came here for help!  You'll find a ton of valuable information!

    Cora

    http://www.hiddenrichessecretplaces.blogspot.com/

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  • precious427
    precious427 Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2009

    I am sorry to hear this about your mom.  I was diagnosed with IDC in October 2008.  I just completed 8 treatments of chemo, and it wasn't as bad as I thought.  So she will get through it.  I am having a bilateral mastectomy Wednesday April 1st with reconstruction.  After healing I will be having 6 weeks of radiation.  My tumor was a mass therefore it had to be shrunk as well.  The chemo did shrink it.  She will be fine.  If you have any questions, I am available to answer them.  I understand my kids are 24,22, and 19 and they were scared at first as well.  Be Blessed

    Precious

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  • Bethie1
    Bethie1 Member Posts: 393
    edited April 2009

    My thought are with you.  I have the same diagnosis, but my tumor was 2 cm.  How big is your mom's if you don't mind me asking?  I was able to have the right mastectomy with 5 out of 24 lmph nodes positive.  These were removed as well.  As everyone has stated, get the results from all the scans and discuss treatment options.  Ultimately, you have to do what you're comfortable with regardless of all this advice.

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  • Christinalynn
    Christinalynn Member Posts: 16
    edited April 2009

    I am unsure on the size. She doesn't know. I don't know if the doctors aren't telling her stuff or if she just isnt' remembering information from being so stressed out. She has all of her scans back now but she said the doctors still haven't told her anything for sure on how many nodes or what stage expect 2/3. I know her tumor is growing rapidly. She says she can feel a difference in it between just a few days. Thursday I am going to chemo with her. Hopefully I will meet her doctor and be able to get some answers.

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  • saja713
    saja713 Member Posts: 20
    edited April 2009

    Christinalynn,

    I'm so sorry to hear about your mom.

    I was diagnosed in February with close to the same diagnosis as your mom, I have a lump in my left breast (2 cm) and a lump in my armpit (which was tender) and I am also TN(triple negative).

    I was so worried waiting for my ct scans and pet scans to come back. 

    I just started chemo (DD AC + T last week and the SE haven't been that bad. I had nausea the first 3 days and a little bit of bone pain from the neulasta shot, but with the medications they have these days, its not that bad at least from what I've experienced so far.

    Once I'm done with chemo and the tumor has shrunk I'll have the lumpectomy. I don't think they can tell how many lymph nodes are involved until the actual surgery.

    I had my up days and my down days, I think the worse so far is the anxiety of waiting, waiting for test results and waiting for  the chemo to start.

    If you or your mother have any more questions feel free to PM me anytime.I have some links to some sites that i researched when I first found out the results of my pathology, I can forward them on to you if you would like.

    Staci

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  • BMac
    BMac Member Posts: 650
    edited April 2009

    Dear Christinalynn, I was diagnosed in Oct 07.  I had a lump in my left breast and a lump in my armpit.  My cat scan showed that the lymph nodes behind the breastbone were also involved/enlarged.  The surgeon said at that time that I was a late stage III.  I thought my life was over.

    I had chemo, then surgery (bilat mast due to BRCA1), then radiation.  I was HER 2 positive and just finished Herceptin on Jan 8/09.  I'm here to tell you that I am very much alive, starting to get my energy back, have gone back to working out which is making me feel better and I have a good prognosis.  There is lots of be hopeful for for your mother and I wish you both the best.

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  • Bethie1
    Bethie1 Member Posts: 393
    edited April 2009

    So sorry about your mom.  I had the same diagosis as her. My tumor was IDC 2cm with 5 out 24 lymph nodes positive, and classified Stage 3.  I am halfway through chemo and will need radation 3 weeks after last chemo on May 20.  Your doctors will decide what's best for you based on how aggressive cancer is, but do what you feel comfortable with based on doctors' recommendations.  Mine was also estrogen receptive meaning it was causing tumor to grow.

    My best to you

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  • Christinalynn
    Christinalynn Member Posts: 16
    edited April 2009

    Mom had her first chemo yesterday. They have her on A/C every 2 weeks. So, far she is not having any side effects. My husband is worried about her because her husbang gave her the neulasta shot today and instead of giving in her arm fat or belly fat like the chemo nurse explained he decided to ask another nurse to show him how to give the shot and she showed him how to give it in the arm muscle. When it clearly states on the box SubQ not IM. Does anyone know how much of a difference its going to make? Medical Oncologist measured moms tumor and it is 8 cm. I believe it started at 4-5 cm. Medical Oncologist said right now its Stage IIIc but the chemo should shrink it making it operable. I will keep everyone updated.

    Hugs

    Christina

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