CANCER IN LYMPH NODES

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many
many Member Posts: 254
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

My WIfe has Underogone a MRMand ALND and there was a 6 cm tumor and 39+/40 nodes with perinodal spread

the presurgery pet only showed  tumor and nodes invlolved ,all of which has been removed during MRM and ALND Together

she is advised CHEMO of FEC*4 + TAXOTERE*4  followed by radiation and TAMOXIFEN for 5 years

she has completed #3 of FEC out of 4

i have a worry

inspite of all 3 levels of nodes being removed during alnd , what if some lymph nodes containing cancer are left out? will chemo and radiation take care of them?

plz post your reply

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  • carcharm
    carcharm Member Posts: 486
    edited September 2011

    There are no guarantees but that is the hope and prayer that the chemo will attack any left over cancer cells that slipped by during surgery. There are sooooo many women on this board who have or had the same dx as your wife and are still alive 20 years later. Try to have hope. Keep searching this board and you will see great stories of hope that will help you and your wife realize this is not a death sentence. What you 2 are going thru now is the worst part. It gets better as time passes and she finishes chemo.

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  • ma111
    ma111 Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2011

    I started with distant nodes and even though they did all three levels on me, they could not reach them all. After the 3rd round of chemo the ct scan showed that the distant nodes were gone. I still had the subpectoral nodes. Radiation killed the subpectoral nodes. Then I progressed 8 months later, but they could not remove all of mine. Your wife is also er+ which means there are a few medications for antihormanal that will be very effective for her. She is also her-, another good thing. Those 2 factors indicate less agressive and easier to treat. With treatment I think she has years.

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  • jdootoo
    jdootoo Member Posts: 253
    edited September 2011

    When I went in for surgery, I thought my nodes were clear because the biopsy came back negative. However, they removed 6 positive nodes with a 3cm tumor and nodes clumped together. Because of this, I had a PET scan following surgery and there was some uptake in the remaining nodes. Chemo and rads wiped out any remaining cancer cells and I think that is usually the case. Hugs and prayers to your wife.

    One love, Jackie

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  • LindaLou53
    LindaLou53 Member Posts: 929
    edited September 2011

    Many, I understand your worry about other involved nodes.  Know that your wife will be getting the full benefit of all treatment options by having surgery, chemo, radiation and hormonals.  Even in cases of few or no positive nodes there are no quarantees that cancer cells cannot still circulate to distant areas.  In the majority of cases, though, I believe the chemo/rads/hormonals will "clean up"  any residual cancer not removed by the surgery.

    I also had full axillary dissection of all 3 levels of nodes.  The 23 nodes removed were all positive along with some already ruptured.  My oncologist had to assume there were still positive nodes or circulating cancer cells left behind after surgery.  I had chemo, radiation and am still on hormonals almost 6 years later with no signs of the cancer returning.

    Once a cancer diagnosis is received, worry becomes a part of life but it doesn't have to take over completely. Keep hope and stay the course, knowing that your wife is getting the best treatment.

    Best Wishes,

    Linda

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  • pupfoster1
    pupfoster1 Member Posts: 1,484
    edited September 2011

    Hi Many,

    Thank you for being such a supportive husband and coming here!  My dx is similar to your wife's and I was told that the idea behind the chemo and radiation is to get rid of any "lingering" cancer cells that could still be there.  As Carcharm said there are no guarantees, but that is what we are all shooting for. 

    My onc at Johns Hopkins told me after my surgery "you don't have cancer anymore, we got that out in surgery, but what you do have are the "seeds" of cancer in your body.  That's what the chemo and the radiation are for---to stop those seeds from ever sprouting." 

    Please ask any questions you or your wife might have.  We all are here to help!

    (((Hugs)))

    Sharon

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  • many
    many Member Posts: 254
    edited September 2011

    Once a cancer diagnosis is received, worry becomes a part of life but it doesn't have to take over completely. Keep hope and stay the course, knowing that we aregetting the best treatment.

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