November 2009-Starting Chemo

Wow Sue, I am so sorry...and surprised. When you say ductal, does that mean it is a different type than the original ILC?

Shit....I am sorry. (((((((Sue)))))))

Yes it's IDC (like yours) the other one was lobular. The good thing is that it's low grade. Last year it was the highest and scored the highest marks for everything that determines the grade. It will be interesting to see if it's hormone receptive - I hope so. Big onc reckoned it wouldn't be HER2 if it was a new one. I just hope it's not triple negative. Can't wait to see what the onc says.

Sue

Hi Nette - yes it's in the other one. Hey, the good news is, if I have radiation again, then both boobs will match I'm so sick of the big lump on the left and the saggy one on the right.

I don't understand either. Was it there last year? If so, why did the chemo not kill it? Has it grown since March when I finished chemo? I could go on. We'll probably never know.

 The MRI said 9mm, but I've read on here MRI's tend to oversize things. Less than 1cm is good anyway.

Sue

Sue: When will you see Onc to find out what the game plan is? Am I crazy or didn't you say that Bonnie was on the original MRI (she's the feather thing...right). How in the hell did chemo not kill it. Or is Bonnie something else.

But...the MRI would have picked up anything else, correct. Having another BC blows but it hasn't shown up anywhere else has it?

Is this considered a second primary since it is a different flavor?

Un-freaking-believable. ((((((Sue))))))

I don't see big onc until next Wednesday. I don't want to miss my Herceptin tx either. Only 2 to go. This was my first MRI so none to compare with for last year. We really don't know if it was on my mammo last year - we think it looks like it but we're not radiologists. It is considered to be a new primary.

DH totally freaked out. He was out when I called him but had calmed down by the time he got home. He has to have his CT scan on Monday and see big onc on Wednesday too - I'm not sure if I'll be able to get him to do it.

Love and hugs to you all little sisters.

Sue

Sue- I am so, so, sorry. We all feel for you and DH, we know it could have been any one of us and may still be.

After that gut punch give yourself a little rest then get back into FIGHT MODE and beat that nasty!!

Kay

Thanks girls. I'm very reluctant to chop them off. This is very small so we'll just go with another lumpectomy. I would only do that if it was absolutely necessary.

ummmm, I second BrendaShar's bold face words above.  : )

I did ask the breast physician about that spot and she said it didn't show on the lateral view last time and it didn't look so suspicious on the other view. I think they circled it this year. This is a new breast clinic I'm going to and they seem to be much more thorough than the free government one.

I've been researching tumors that don't respond to chemo and it looks like lower grade ones don't respond as well as high grade ones when chemo is given pre surgery. So, it's possible it was there last year and didn't grow or do anything. Big onc will be the one with the answers on that one. The main thing is, it isn't very big. I picked up my films from them yesterday and the pathology report was in the envelope. Sounds like she took a lot of it doing the core needle - she took 3 cores, so there won't be much of it left to cut out.

The only way this could have been confirmed last year is with MRI. Unfortunately it not used in diagnosis enough. You would think if they find one thing, an MRI would be prudent before surgery to check both breasts.

I can't believe Bonnie the Bitch grew in such a short time especially being low grade, so that makes me think it was there before.

I'll let you all know when the surgery is. I'm kind of hoping she can't do it until after my tx on Wednesday as I'd like to see big onc first.

((((((((((((((Love and hugs))))))))))))))))))))

Sue

You're such a sweetie Linda - hugs

Well - now the breast clinic want me back tomorrow to investigate the second thing further. She did say she would get the radiologist to review  everything. Obviously because the first spot turned out to be cancer, they're covering their arses and mine. They're going to try and locate it on ultrasound, if they can't, they'll do an MRI and put a clip in. This is the one that does not show on the mammo. Sounds like they want to biopsy it too.

I saw the surgeon and it was her that told me they wanted me back - they'd called her. I'm glad in a way that they are being so thorough but it's driving DH crazy waiting.

We have scheduled surgery for Tuesday week after next. Whether it will be a lumpectomy or mastectomy we don't know until we get the second spot sorted out and it depends on if both have to be removed and how close together they are. I'll be able to have my herceptin tx next Wednesday and it also gives me a chance to talk to big onc before the surgery.

I asked the surgeon about the possibiliy of Bonnie being there last year and she said it's very possible and she confirmed my research into low grade tumour response to chemo ie that higher grade tumours respond to chemo a lot better. She also said that they wouldn't have questioned that spot last year as it only showed on one view on the mammo.

So, more sitting around at that clinic - 9am tomorrow. I might take a packed lunch

Sue

Alicia, good luck with your appt tomorrow! OK...what time is Tuesday in Australia here on the east coast??? Hmmmm. Nette, we need you!

I too had a bilateral mast, and I've had no regrets. My mom had a reoccurance to her other breast 6 years after her original cancer. I am waiting for spring so I can have my recon...what is up with us and spring!!

I had my neurologist appt today who confirmed RIBP. I go tomorrow for a nerve conduction test and an EMG. I guess it's pretty unpleasant. Shoot, the dr said it's painful. Oh well, I've been through a lot; what's a little more grief. They gave me a Lidocaine patches for the pain and a medicine that Parkinson's patients take to control the tremors. Don't worry, I DO NOT HAVE PARKINSON'S!! ...I can do this!

Love to all my sisters!

FYI:  Sue is 11 hrs. ahead of us, so right now, at 1:00 in the afternoon, it would be 2 A.M. where she is.  (I think)  So, Tuesday A.M. would be Monday night for us to start sending those positive vibes.

Not sure what I would do in the same situation as far as the lump. vs. mast.  Had a lump. the first time and am missing almost 1/2 the breast because of it.  Fortunately, it is the bottom half, so a major push-up bra can hide the site when clothed.  I think I would have to see where the other cancerous site would be and how they would do the lump. before I would decide, though Alicia made a strong case for a mast.

Sue:  continue to keep us posted on what the Big onc says.  I hadn't heard the info about chemo. not affecting lower grade cancers.  Scary. 

It's not next Tuesday but the 23rd - you've got plenty of time to work it out. I'm hoping the two spots are close enough together to get them by lumpectomy. Hopefully Bonie's little sister is benign and that won't be an issue. They are both so small, I really don't want to get the boob chopped.

Good luck with your tests linda, Melinda and Alicia

((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))

Sue

I now have 3 clips in my boob courtesy of some tricky MRI stuff !!!! Apparently there was another tiny little spot on the MRI - crap. They can't biopsy Bonnie's little sisters as it's too hard. They think these 2 tiny spots should be removed when they remove Bonnie even though they think they are benign. If Bonnie hadn't turned out to be cancer they wouldn't have worried about them. The 2 babies are close together. Bonnie is a bit further away, so we're not sure if the bs could get them in one go. They are trying really hard to avoid a mastectomy which was the purpose of today's ordeal - to mark them so they can do wire localisation on the day of surgery.

Surgery might be delayed a further week as it might be better for me to have it at the hospital where the breast clinic is. They feel they are the only ones qualified to do the wire insertion as the tiny spots are in a really tricky location and they're the experts. Of course DH is keen to get it done sooner but I'd rather have it done at the bigger better hospital. We'll see what the surgeon says next Thursday and big onc on Wedesday.

 The saga continues - I feel like I've got a whole family in there

Sue