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visugar2003
visugar2003 Member Posts: 11
edited June 2014 in Stage I Breast Cancer

Hi ladies,

I am a little nervous introducing myself but here it goes. I was diagonsed with breast cancer stage 2 april 8. I am not sure if I am a or b stage 2, still learning as I go along. anyhoos the news knocked the wind out of me, but I quickly got the wind back in and took of running. so I had mastec. surgery may 3 with tissue expander recon. I am starting chemo tuesday I am very nervous, can i say double nervous plus we are putting in a medi port. hhhhmmmppphh. I am already exhausted and I feel I have only now begun. Also I have somethin on my mind my pet scan after surgery shows that the cancer is still there in my pectoral muscle, and that radiation will take care of that. someone enlighten me abt it being in the pectoral muscle on doctor is nervous abt it and the other is not. 

I AM GLAD I FOUND THIS PAGE !!!!!1

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited June 2011

    sorry you had to join us visugar. I too am a triple positive stage IIB. I'm not going to lie to you and say cancer on the pectoral muscle is not big deal. Any cancer anywhere is a big deal. Hopefully radiation will zap all those cancer suckers. I would press both doctors more about why they are or are not worried. It might just be a small invasion that can easily be radiated.

    Do check out the triple positive gals. Many of us have all been through chemo and can give you some tips. My cocktail was Taxotere, Carboplatin & Herceptin x 6 plus the full year of Herceptin. I have 4 more Herceptins to go and exchange surgery on Friday. I'm doing great.

    Chemo isn't the greatest but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought. I had some less common side effects but all doable in the end. Having the flu for 35. months would have been much much worse for me.

    I had my CT and bone scans before surgery. All clear although some cyst on my liver so the did another scan after chemo. Still just cycsts. Getting an initial scan is common. It doesn't mean they expect to find something. They just want to make sure. Treating stage IIB is different then treating stage IV. They don't hit IV as hard as early stages because they focus on treated the disease and quality of life. Early stage the hit to cure.

    Hope someone can chime in with more detail about the pec muscle. I was close to the chest wall but did get clear margins.

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

    I just wanted to say I am sorry about your dx but glad you came here.  THe gals on this board are wonderful and a huge source of support.  I can't answer your question about the pec muscle but I am sure someone can that has had that experience.  I started this trip with BC in Dec.  Did the whole BLMX, TE's and chemo.  I get my TE's out this week for my implants.  6 months from now, you will be done with all of this.  Hang in there.....Hugs!

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  • Bren-2007
    Bren-2007 Member Posts: 6,241
    edited June 2011

    Welcome Visugar!

    I'm so sorry to hear of your diagnosis.  I can understand being tired and scared, as I believe that is normal for getting through our treatment.

    I wish you well .. and know you will find lots of support and encouragement here.

    hugs,

    Bren

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  • grayeyes
    grayeyes Member Posts: 664
    edited June 2011

    Welcome, Visugar2003.

    I had a unilateral mastectomy with immediate tissue expander placement in January.  The tumor was very close to the chest wall, and the margin tested positive.  I don't think it's visible on a PET scan in my case, but we know the cancer cells are there.  They're going to give me radiation treatments after chemo is finished to "clean it up," as the surgeon put it.  I've met other women also having radiation after chemo, so it doesn't seem to be uncommon.  We're all just hitting it hard with everything possible.  Hang in there.  {{BIG HUG}}

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  • tpcjkk
    tpcjkk Member Posts: 67
    edited June 2011

    It can be overwhelming at first, but try to ask as many questions as possible.  Hearing it straight from your docs as opposed to trying to Google the information is so much better and less anxiety-provoking.  I was very much in shock in the early days of my treatment; in hindsight, I should have asked more questions since I find that my knowledge in certain areas is pretty lacking.  But I've learned a lot on this website.  

    My tumor sat on my chest wall.  I had a lumpectomy, but I believe my surgeon took a bit of the muscle.  My PET lit up only in the tumor bed area--my onc said that was to be expected due to my recent surgery, and he didn't seem concerned about it.  Maybe the PET scan reflects inflammation and not cancer?  Your docs should be able to discus what exactly they think the PET scan shows.  In any event, I did have radiation with "boosts" to the tumor bed area, and this is something you can discuss with your radiation onc.

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