T3N1M0 is locally advanced or early stage?

As another stage 3C'er here I want to respectfully thank Beesie also for her informed posts and ongoing support to all women on these forums. 

DCMom, my apologies if my post offended you or bothered you in any way. I was not suggesting at all that the prognosis for those who are Stage III is dire. In fact what I said was that "Because these additional treatments are given, those who are higher stage may be able to reduce their risk of recurrence to levels that are similar to those who are lower stage who do not get these same treatments."   With my post I was simply trying to provide some factual information about staging, because in many of the discussions lately in this forum and others, there has been a frightening lack of facts. Lots of people have given their opinions - often stated as fact - and yet many of these opinions are quite different than the true facts. 

I agree with you that I should not be posting in this forum. I happen to be one of the minority here who believes that all the Stage forums should be respected. Until I responded to the thread started by AgentMo, I don't think I'd ever responded to a post in this forum before and I very rarely read posts in this forum. I saw this thread only because I'd been continuing to follow the thread started by AgentMo and had noticed that she hadn't posted for quite a few days. I was concerned that some of the disrespectful and rude responses in her thread might have caused her to leave the board and I was pleased to see that she had posted.  That's how I found this thread.  I should not however have posted my response and I apologize again.  

Sherri and LindaLou, thank you!  

Just piping in to add my support to Beesie.  She has always been very supportive in this forum and defensive to our stage 3 sisters.   I suppose if one were to read only her post on this thread it would sound dire.  However, having read her defense of "stage doesn't matter" posts on other threads she was just stating that yes, in most cases it does.

I sure hope this doesn't turn into another bickering thread.  My sistahs shouldn't have to suffer with me posting all those pictures...don't put them through that, k? 

What we need is more research into the methods used by the cancer to hibernate, how to detect if it's hiding or whether we're clear, and ways to intervene so we can all be sure it's behind us.

Lago and Maryanne, I agree it's not helpful to concentrate on the worst scenario rather than to assume we're free to get on with our lives, otherwise we will live a miserable life and in the end we only have the present moment so why not make the most of it.

Beesie, I welcome your comments which were well informed and impressively put and I've found this an interesting discussion.

It's a juggling act trying to, on the one hand express our grief and fear and on the other hand try to keep upbeat and enjoy our lives without too much fear.   When one expresses fear and another is trying to look ahead to a long happy life we clash but in the end we've all been on both sides of the fence and we need to acknowledge our sisters feelings whatever their stage or outlook.

In the end we're on the same journey.

Love and hugs to all my wonderful sisters. (Said with tears in my eyes, literally).

I copied and pasted to a different font and it is a lower case L.  1 I and L can be confusing.

maryannecb : As I can't control what hapens next ..I have worked really hard to believe that I will not be facing this again. And jeesh...5 years later...I just may be right. And if I am wrong..well at least I lived in La La land..it is nice here. I welcome any posters to stage 3 board.

My thoughts exactly - I love La La Land - I don't even know what T3N1MO means (and frankly don't particularly care, maybe I should, but I doubt whether it is relevant one way or another).

SheilaEchidna : What we need is more research into the methods used by the cancer to hibernate, how to detect if it's hiding or whether we're clear, and ways to intervene so we can all be sure it's behind us.

There's a new blood test on the way (3 yrs before it's on the market) that will detect minute cancer cells - isn't that good news!!!  Just imagine not having to expose ourselves to endless dangerous scans just to find if it's still there, or has come back - but I suppose they will still have to find exactly where the cancer is in our bodies. Hmmm

Beesie and lago : your posts are always informative. Keep up the good work!

Hi everyone,

I've just been reading everyones posts.  Here is my opinion,  For the women in stage 0,  God bless you,  for the woman in stage 1,  bless you,  2 may God bless and keep you NED !  For my sisters in stage 3 may God bless us and keep us NED,  for our sisters in Stage IV May God bless and heal you!

I hate to be the messenger, but heres the deal, if your early thank God!  If your not so early thank God!  The bottom line is I am so disturbed by all this( a,b,c,) thing,  I really don't think cancer  knows what stage its in. We are here and I hate to tell you,  but I have seen stage 1 go to lV with one scan. I also have friends in stage lV that have been living with cancer for years. The bottom line is

I agree with a lot of the women here,  staging is used for treatment use. Yes I might feel better with a

earlier dx, but I think we would all feel better if we were never dx at all!!!  At the end of the day

we can do all we can to stay healthy.  it's important for all women. know one knows what the future holds, We are not defined by our stage, I am trying to move on with my life. They took

out my cancer, even at lllc, its gone!  I don't look at statistics, it's a waste of time, it is what it is.

BC sucks! No matter what your "un" stage is!

I pray that we will all be  wrinkled old ladies, the more wrinkles the better!  Maybe I live in denial,

if so I am liking it here, I laugh a lot more and ever day gets better and more hopeful.

I think thats called living!!!

Faithful 

Sherrie,

well said.

No stage after all treatments and cancer gone.

i like that. 

wrinkled old ladies - yes! Yes, may we all be that!  Never thought I would WANT to be wrinkled  LOL! 

I think if I am lucky enough to be around in 10 years I have a duty to come here and encourage those newly diagnose!  Just sayin..........

Carol, SusieMTN, Mamita, SherriG, faithfulheart,

An emphatic DITTO!!!!!!

I so dislike the staging thing...in 1999, I had 4 positive nodes out of 25 removed - stage II but it was just beginning to edge its way into the 5th node which would have been stage III - since not fully involved - they called me a 'tween'. 

It has also been stated that once you are staged, that is your stage period.  I am now stage iv or am I?  Technically, I am still a 'tween' stage II - III with a distant recurrence in the bone - treatable but considered terminal.  Apparently, you are only stage iv if that is at the get go.  ARRGGG - whatever...I had it, I cut it out, I did my chemo and it was gone - for 10 1/2 years.  It made a reappearance and I will be treating in some form or another forever but I am going to go right on living until I am old and wrinkly sitting in the rocker on the back porch. 

Whatever I am - I am living with it!

LowRider

kimf    Thanks for positives from a HER2 sister.  I had to miss my post lumpy appt today because of snow. (We basically close the city in NC when it snows).  I know one lymphie was positive and have been obsessing about that.  My onco keeps telling me not to worry about the lymphies.  Nothing like hearing it from a BC survivor though to kick my bu++. 

lowrider  (with a name like lowrider I can imagine the old part...but you definitely won't be wrinkly:)

Well, I am like I said before so Cancer free, that I can consider myself like sooooooo cancer free.

After first surgery, than chemo I had another surgery just to make sure all is gone, and in all my breast and nodes ALL was cancer free. I had another ( second) scan of abdominal and bones last fall, plus pap test and ultra sound.

So cancer free.

I get more check-ups than some other women I know my age who NEVER go to have either a mammo nor other check-ups.

I consider myself NOW so lucky to know for sure that no cancer is in my body, and I agree with Sherri

Stage 0 

Yes, no-one wants to be stage III. I wanted soo bad to be at least stage II after going from Stage I to stage III after surgery, due to one extra lymph node.  But everyone told me staging does determine your treatment. That is what I tell myself, I try not to think of the prognosis factors. It is not helpful.

Kathleen

I like your way of thinking.  Thinking about it as a treatment guideline is helpful.

Elizabeth