I want to know the stage of my Mother's breast cancer

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shakil
shakil Member Posts: 3

my mothere is suffering from breast cancer.According to the OPD clinical record the stage is stage:pT2N1Mo.I am not sure about the meaning of this coad.could anyone let me know what is the stage and other advice for better treatment.

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  • kayfh
    kayfh Member Posts: 790
    edited July 2012

    Shakil:  T stands for tumour size (the higher the number the larger the tumour), N stands for lymph node involvement, and M stands for distant metastasis (cancer in other parts of the body other than the lymph nodes under her armpit.

    So in your mother's case T2 means that the primary breast tumour is greater than 2 cm across but less than 5cm. N1 means that there is lymph node involvement.  In her case it has spread to 1-3 lymph nodes under her arm.  M stands for metastasis or spread to other parts of the body like bones, or liver.  In your mom's case she does not have metastasis.  Based on this information she is Stage IIB.

    Now you need to find out if her breast cancer is hormone positive, or negative.  Estrogen and/or Progesterone positive or negative because this information helps to guide the oncologist in making treatment recommendations.  And finally is the tumour Her positive or negative?  Her status is another piece of information used by the oncologist.

    There are MANY treatments available for your mom and she is potentially cureable (at least for now). I wish you and your mom well as you embark on this difficult journey.  She is lucky to have you on her side.

  • shakil
    shakil Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2012
    thank you so much Keyfh for let me know the details of my mom's stage.I have done all of her test that Oncologist suggest me like fish study,PET scan, ECO and according to test:

    ER:positive(weak)

    PR:positive

    HER2:Positive

    HPR: duct cell carcinoma,poorly differentiated. 

    In last 30th June my mother take here 2nd cycle of chemotherapy with the 1st dose of Herceptin.This herceptin have to continue for 1 years(approximately 17 dose).

    My mothere is taking those treatment under a renound hospital in Bangladesh.I want to take her singapore for better treatment but everyone told me that it is not that complicated to take her abroad for treatment and everywhere she will get almost same treatment.thats why I start her treatment locally.

    Is there any suggestion that could be helpful for my mothere's better treatment.

    And please let me know that is there any online service where I can get a suggestion eithere I am getting the right treatment or not by sending all the reports and diagonosis details  .

  • kayfh
    kayfh Member Posts: 790
    edited July 2012

    Shakil. It sounds like your mom has the same sort of cancer as me, just a different, more hopeful stage. I was diagnosed at stage IV at age 57, I am 59 now. Initially I had a unilateral mastectomy. Once it healed, about a month later, I had a port installed and started chemotherapy with herceptin. My chemo was docetaxol which was followed by herceptin, it took about 2-3 hours, every three weeks. Both were infused through my port. It wasn't any fun but I survived and since November 2009 there has not been any evidence of disease. I then started on letrozole which is an aromatase inhibitor (hormonal treatment) and am supposed to take once a day for 5 years. I continue on with herceptin infusions as maintenance because no one knows when stage IV people should stop. Herceptin alone is not very difficult to deal with. In your mother's case doing the chemo and herceptin with just herceptin for a year afterward is the standard of care here in Canada. Probably they will recommend hormonal treatment of some kind for five years after the treatment is finished.
    I go for oncologist appointments every 3 months now, and do blood work and go for a MUGA (to check on heart function) just before them, if there is anything suspicious I go for the appropriate testing, MRI, Ultrasound etc. Otherwise, I have CT scans, bone scans, every six months. Once your mother is through with treatment there will likely be some kind of annual follow up.
    Based on what you tell me, I think your mother is getting the same care that she would get here or anywhere in the developed world.

    Sometimes there is a temptation to assume that if only you went somewhere else, saw a famous doctor, or went to a world reknown centre, that somehow things would be better. I don't think so. I am in a small town (75,000 people)which has a cancer clinic in the local hospital, just 120 kms from Toronto. There are incredible facilities in Toronto, but the protocols are the same, except for access to clinical studies, which are not likely appropriate for your mom because the treatment she is getting is designed to cure her. But, I can have all of my treatment and diagnostics here, and receive the same care, except it is more personal. I don't have to travel when, if, I feel unwell and the most important thing is I am able to stay closely connected with my family, husband, daughters and two granddaughters. The emotional support that that gives me trumps everything!
    I wish your mother (and you) the best. You are very important to her ability to deal with the side effects of treatment and diagnosis both physically and emotionally.
    Don't hesitate to post here. There are many other women and men on these boards who have tons of personal experience to share. (there is however an unwritten rule that asks people who are not stage IV to stay off the stage IV forums except the one that says 'not diagnosed with stage IV but have questions'-but you and your mother don't need to go there anyway!)

  • kayfh
    kayfh Member Posts: 790
    edited July 2012

    Oh Shakil, I forgot to say, Bangladesh has many world class physicians. I know this because Canada has been on the receiving end of many of your physicians and other intellectuals as immigrants forever. Sorry that you lose them, but it is our gain.

    Also, my husband has come with me for every oncologist appointment. It really helps to have another brain and pair of ears there. Often he will remember to ask questions that I forgot, or something will occur to him in the course of the appointment. It does help to write things down before and during appointments. I do treatment by myself, take a book along or talk to other patients while there, and go for diagnostics by myself because there doesn't seem to be a reason for him to be there. He is self employed as an architect and it is important that he not miss too much time from work, he has clients and staff who rely upon him. Kay

  • shakil
    shakil Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2012

    thank you so much kayfh for such information.I wish you a heathy and normal life from the bottom of my beart,I am happy to find such a site where people like you share their experience with other people.I will try my best to keep in tough with this site,specially with you coz a little information from you might bring a huge benefit for my mother.

  • kayfh
    kayfh Member Posts: 790
    edited July 2012

    You are welcome Shakil

  • KorynH
    KorynH Member Posts: 301
    edited July 2012

    You can call and speak to counselors any time of day at Y-Me.org 1-800-221-2141 and they can offer a translator in your own language as well. http://www.y-me.org/ they can answer any questions you have. I had the same diagnosis as your mother and my treatment included chemo therapy drugs Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin. I wish you and your mother the best.

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