Grade 1, 4 nodes pos

Options
Whatashocker3
Whatashocker3 Member Posts: 209
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Ladies, I read about the fact that Grade 1 tumors don't react well to chemo. This scares me as I had 4 nodes positive. I am er positive and hneu negative but I guess the worry comes from is what is getting any of the crazy rogue cells if chemo isn't protective with a low grade tumor. Is there some ladies out there that can give me some good thoughts on my situation? I know that should I have had less than 3 pos nodes they probably wouldn't have recommended chemo. So I wonder if you are better to have a more aggressive tumor as the chemo works more effectively with a higher tumor grade?

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2012

    I too had positive nodes and grade 1 stage II...but "doesn't work as well" doesn't mean "doesn't work at all".  I told my oncologist to give me the most aggressive treatment, which included chemo, rad and surgery (I'm 5 weeks from finishing chemo and will move onto rads next).  Even if it was a smaller percentage of success, I wanted that percentage.

    Hope that helps you make a decision and others will post with more information.

    Claire

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Elizabeth1889
    Elizabeth1889 Member Posts: 1,036
    edited February 2012

    I, too, had Grade I cancer with one positive node.  My BS and MO both recommended chemo for me and I agreed with them. Like my MO said, if the cancer reached a lymph node, it could be lurking anywhere.  I asked my MO about how chemo would work with Grade I cancer.  He said that chemo worked on cells that divided quickly and all cancer cells, including Grade I, divided quicker than normal cells.

    Good luck with your chemo.  We are all here to support you. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BelaT
    BelaT Member Posts: 217
    edited February 2012

    One question, rads and surgery both? why?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Megadotz
    Megadotz Member Posts: 302
    edited February 2012

    Bela,

    Two reasons fo radiation after surgery:

    1. Lumpectomy -- radiation is generally required.
    2. Node involvement -- radiation is used on the node areas  -  mine were done on the underarms and collarbone as well as the breast.

     Note that with node involvement chemo is often part of the treatment plan along with surgery and radiation.

    Hope that helps.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited March 2012
    Surgery (i.e., lumpectomy) and radiation are LOCAL treatments designed to kill cancer cells at the site of the tumour.

    Chemotherapy is a SYSTEMIC treatment designed to seek out- and destroy any cancer cells that escaped the original site via your lymphatic/vascular system and are wandering around your body looking for a new home.

    Hormone therapy (i.e., tamoxifen) is going to starve out any resistent cancer cells by interfering with their ability to "feed" off estrogen.  It will, also, provide some protection against developing a new breast cancer.

    Most oncologists will want to treat early-stage breast cancer aggressively because they have a chance of stopping it in it's tracks and providing you with some protective against either local- or distant recurrence.

    Good luck!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories