size of lymph nodes?

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becca743
becca743 Member Posts: 11
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

I was originally diagnosed based on a needle biopsy of an enlarged lymph node.  Despite a bunch of different scans they could not find the primary tumor prior to mastectomy.  It turned out to be 2 millimeters, and then I also had some adjacent DCIS.  Small tumor, good news.  And of the lymph nodes they took only two were positive, better than expected given they were large enough to kick this whole thing off.  So I'm trying to remain positive, getting my port in on Tuesday, chemo to start shortly. 

 Two things are leaving me very freaked out though.  First, the triple negative thing.  Google searches aren't exactly comforting on that front, especially since there is lymph node involvement.  My onc wants me to do TACx6, but from what I'm reading it sounds like dose-dense is perhaps better for triple negative?  I've scheduled another consultation with her to talk about that before the chemo starts, because I don't want to make a bad decision here with the scary triple neg statistics. 

 But then second, only the two lymph nodes they knew about from ultrasound were affected, however what really and truly leaves me panicked is that they were 4 cm and 3.5 cm respectively.  That's...big.  And yet I can't find any information on the size of lymph nodes and prognosis.  Number, yeah, and that's what my onc seems to be going by.  But I'm having a hard time believing that how big they were doesn't mean something.  There also seems to be a question of whether or not there is going to be radiation for the same reason, small number, huge size.  

Help?  

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Comments

  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited April 2009

    The number of lymph nodes involved is more prognostic than the size of them or the level of involvement. Not sure why, but I have read that in more than one place.

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  • becca743
    becca743 Member Posts: 11
    edited April 2009

    It just doesn't make much sense to me.  That the tumor itself could be so tiny, too tiny to even be detected, and yet have the cancer jump straight to the lymph nodes where it acted like it was sprinkled with miracle gro or something.  It's creepy and I can't make sense of it :(

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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited April 2009

    I don't think size is the issue either.  The key is your pathology report. This well tell your doctor's the charatstic's of your cells.  How fast they multiple if they want too have multiple access for blood supplies.  The big question for all TN ladies to ask your doctor's is...do you have basel cells in your tumors.  This is the key to your disease.  becca I'm surprised that you are Grade 2 and TN. This is very rare.  I would have my pathology double checked.

    Flalady

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  • becca743
    becca743 Member Posts: 11
    edited April 2009

    Thanks, Flalady.  I will ask about the basal cells.  I'm suspicious of the grade 2 as well, was going to ask her about that as well, the pathology report had it at one point under 3, and the mitotic rate was 3.  The cancer in the lymph nodes was just identified as 'poorly differentiated'.  Based on the way it jumped to the lymph nodes and blew up like a balloon, I dunno...my guess is that it's actually grade 3. 

    Wouldn't be surprised if it was just rare and weird though.  This whole thing has been an excercise in weird since I first found the lump in my armpit.  If I hadn't opted for the mastectomy I'd still have 'unknown primary' all over my charts, combined with my age (36) and the size of the nodes and the triple negative status...I have a hard time finding any breast cancer stories that look like mine at all.

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  • sftfemme65
    sftfemme65 Member Posts: 790
    edited April 2009

    I am triple neg and grade 2 also. While its not common, We are out there.  In fact I met a lady that is triple neg and grade 1.  They retested her and she really is grade 1.

    Teresa

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  • tibet
    tibet Member Posts: 545
    edited April 2009

    Is the sizt of node when enlarged, could indicate extracapsulate? (I don't know how to spell it).

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