Recurrence - lymph node and on muscle

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Tonya36
Tonya36 Member Posts: 66
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Hello everyone.  My original dx was June 2008.  Dx with 3 cm tn tumor in left breast with 0/4 nodes.  I underwent bilateral mastectomy, 4 tx of EC and 12 tx of Taxol.  In early Dec I found a small lump in the same breast.  It turned out to be a lymph node.  Dr found 2 lymph nodes that were positive for cancer.  Last week Surgeon scraped a small amount of muscle in that same area and did axillary dissection.  Path report came back with 4 mm of residual focus of cancer on my muscle where the lymph nodes had been sitting and nothing in the 11 lymph nodes she removed.  Everyone is pleased with these results because pet scan showed nothing anywhere else so it is a local recurrence only.  I am blessed to be in the position I am in but I am still terrified.  The Oncologist wants radiation first since that was the only place it was found.  He wants the whole area taken care of then he wants me to take carboplatin/taxotere every 3 weeks for 6 treatments to "mop anything else up".  Has anyone else had this type of diagnosis (lymph nodes and muscle) and this kind of treatment with good results?  I don't think I have ever heard of anyone doing radiation first.  I am so shocked and confused I don't really know what to do.  All I can do right now is pray and thank God that it is not any worse than it is.  Anyone have any advice or encouragement?  I would greatly appreciate it. 

Thanks,

Tonya

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  • LRM216
    LRM216 Member Posts: 2,115
    edited January 2010

    Hi Tonya - I am writing to say I'm sorry you got this news, but thankfully - it wasn't worse.  Best of luck to you.  I have no experience with this as I am not as far along as you are, I was diagnosed in late Feb of 2009, finished my chemo 9/10 and my last rads on 12/5, but hopefully someone will come along that can help you.  I too am triple neg and also very similar stats as you.  I wish you a quick wipeout of this crap.

    Linda

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  • tibet
    tibet Member Posts: 545
    edited January 2010

    Tonya

    On your first dx, in the path report, did they state there is lymo vascular invasion? Was the tumor very close to the chest wall? If it was close to the chest wall, the mast., may not have clear margins from the chest wall, thus in old days they usually do a radical mast. taking also the chest muscles out. Did you do a PET CT scan right after the first dx? Another thing is sometimes about 5% of the sentinal node does not work, that means it could be some cells passed thru sentinal node the first time of dx. I heard from another woman on the other form, she had sentinal node out but after a few yrs there was recurrence in the nodes. She wish she had full node desection the first time. Maybe in your case it was similar?

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  • janinvan
    janinvan Member Posts: 83
    edited January 2010

    Was the cancer. on the pectoral muscle ??

    It's lucky that they didn't think it was lymphodema....

    WHERE do you live/which medical facility...?

    I had a recurrence 13 years after a masectomy ...infraclavicular/pectoral muscle...under collar bone....

    Janice

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