Please help me with Mom's diagnosis

Options
wbts
wbts Member Posts: 56
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

I've been trying to figure out what this all means. This is mom's second diagnoses.  Her first diagnoses was in 1999/2000 and that diagnosis was (I have her path reports infront of me..

Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma, moderately to poorly differentiated (Grade III/IV) Estrogen + in 75% of tumor cells while only rare cells (less than 5%) stain with antibodies against progesterone receptor. 

Another page has AJCC Stage IIB (T2, N1, MX) adenocarcinoma of the breast

 4 of 20 lymph nodes were positive

 I don't see anything about Her2

 She had chemo (not sure what kind) And has been on Tamoxifan and then she switched to Famara.

Okay so now she has recurrent breast cancer and I'm wondering if that's why it reads differently??

Here's what it says...

Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma, poorly differentiated (Tubular Formation - 3  Nuclear Pleomorphism - 2 Mitotic Rate - 3)      

Invasion into skeletal Muscle

Tumor at Cauterized Surgical Margin

Skin Uninvolved by Malignancy

Immunoperoxidase studies on Invasive Carcinoma

   Estrogen receptor  Negative (<1% fo cells stain)

   Progesterone Receptor:    Negative (<1% of cells stain)

    Her2/Neu   Positive (3+)

Later in teh report it says: "The three sections from the mass show an infiltrating ductal carcinoma with very little tubular formation, moderate nuclear variability, and a mitotic rate of greater than 20 mitotic figures per 10 high power fields."

The plan sounds like 33 sessions of radiation and I dont' think they having her do chemo.  The have taken her off Famara and it sounds like they will be starting a new med but not sure what it is.  Any comments or does this all sound right for treatment??

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 3,571
    edited April 2011

    I have read that recurring BC cancers can sometimes come back differently than the first diagnosis.  What I mean is that some people were ER/PR+ the first time and then ER/PR- on the second diagnosis.  Google around about that...I am sorry I cannot help more.  I am sorry about your mom's diagnosis.  Best of luck to you as you go through this.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Letlet
    Letlet Member Posts: 1,053
    edited April 2011

    Hello, just a couple of things....it seems that her margins are positive, will they do another surgery or is that why they are doing rads?



    Her tumor is hormone negative so i guess thats why they are stopping the femara. Not aure what the size of the tumor was that they are not doing chemo but I do see that she is her2 positive so she would benefit from herceptin but as far as I know they will not administer that solely without chemo.



    It reads like a new primary BC not a recurrence just because the first one was highly ER positive and this recent one was negative. Hopefully someone else can come along and give more insight.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited April 2011
    Yes, it sounds like a new primary.  Your mom's B/C is Grade 3, and that usually responds well to chemo.  I would think that chemo and then herceptin (for the HER-2+) would be a part of the plan.  Have you been in to talk with the Medical Oncologist yet?  That's who calls the shots on the sytemic treatment.  So, if you have only spoken with the surgeon and radiation oncologist, maybe you are still missing the MO piece of the puzzle?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • wbts
    wbts Member Posts: 56
    edited April 2011

    I know they're not planning another surgery. This tumor was pretty large, I'm trying to figure out which measurements are the actually tumor.   It's says 2 specimens were sent, one that consists of a skin ellipse measuring 6.8 x 1.8 cm.  the underlying soft tissue is 2.5 cm in depth. no mass lesions in this specimen.  Lying separately in the container is a 4.5 x 4.0 x 2.0 cm portion of yellow-red fibro-fatty tissue. there does appear to be some skeletal muscle present on one surface. there is a mass present with in this specimen that is firm to palpation. the surgical margin is inked in black. The specimen is serially sectioned revealing a 2.3 cm nodule that is white-yellow and stellate present within teh center fo the specimen."

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited April 2011

    The tumor is the 2.3 cm nodule.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • wbts
    wbts Member Posts: 56
    edited April 2011

    You'r right, so far this week, since this report, she has met with the radiation doc and surgeon. She meets with the oncologist today and starts radiation today. I guess the radiaton doc had said he conferred with the oncologist and though only radiation.  She was so relieved with this news but I guess we'll know for sure after she meets with her oncologist today.  She just got sooo sick with chemo last time.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • wbts
    wbts Member Posts: 56
    edited April 2011

    Well she met with the oncologist and she starts chemo after radiation.. she's getting a port on Monday and I believe starts Herceptin Monday as well. thanks

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited April 2011

    Sorry your mom has to go through all this once again.  What age is your mom?  Try to keep her spirits up (or at least let her rant off her rage now and then or cry it out if she wants to.)  Another thing you can do is make sure she has good nutrition (and an adequate amount of protien) all during her treatments.  The treatments are busy destroying things in the body, so she needs good nutrition to build it back up. 

    She already has a caring daughter's support.  That's a big plus!!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sheshe48
    sheshe48 Member Posts: 338
    edited April 2011

    it sounds like its all figured out, sounds like everyone here put you at ease a little. it's not easy going thru cancer and you are doing all the right things. Trying to gain knowledge to help your mom.

    I went to my cancer center to get my blood work done. I go every 6 months now. I got a call from the cancer center saying one of my tumor markers was elevated. I have to go back May 11th and have more bloodwork done. I was a little freaked out, now I know these tests can be wrong too. Has this happened to anyone here lately?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories