Didn't get it all

tdm1175
tdm1175 Member Posts: 2
edited June 2014 in Caring for Someone with Breast cancer

Hello. If anyone can help me I would appreciate it immensely. My sister whom I live with to care for was diagnoses with Inflammatory BC in Jan 06' Did 6 rounds of chemo followed by bi-lateral masectomy involving removeal of some lymph-nodes and was told they have to wait for pathology report to give more answers. Well the report came back yesterday and they did not get all the cancer. So my sister is going to continue with treatment as planned for six weeks of rads. Is there other options she should be aware of such as another surgery? Please help! Thank You. Her surgeon isn't of much help or real big on talking.

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  • Hattie
    Hattie Member Posts: 414
    edited June 2006
    Do you have a copy of the path report? That has a lot of info that is helpful in understanding the plan. Write down your ?'s and ask the surgeon or oncologist to answer--they work for your sister and should explain. Rads to finish off any stray cells not knocked out by chemo or surgery is pretty standard. Ask about the possibility of more surgery or additional chemo. If her cancer was hormone receptor positive or her2 positive, there are additinal drugs to take to help lower the risk of cancer coming back. Because every one is different, you need to talk to the docs.
    Take care,
    --Hattie
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  • tdm1175
    tdm1175 Member Posts: 2
    edited June 2006

    My sister's path report was her2positive. The surgeon said that during surgery he couln't find her central lymph node even with the blue dye and that there's cancer there. Additional chemo is not an option he said. Her chemo rounds consisted of Taxotere(Docetaxel), Cytoxan(Cyclophosphamide) and Adriamycin(Doxorubicin) which he said are the most powerful and that she would never be eligble for chemo again as it would kill her. He didn't answer any of her questions and just told her to see the rad onc next wednesday.I'm just trying to find a smudge of hope for her to help her think positive and not give up the fight. She tends to compare her situation with bc to mine of cervical, uterine, colon, rectal, vaginal, stomach and bladder cancer- all surgically removed or rads done and currently remission except bladder cancer. She doesn't understand that every organ with cancer has different treatment plans and outcomes based on stages, location, etc.

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  • cowgirl
    cowgirl Member Posts: 777
    edited June 2006

    You might try a search on another part of the board with "inflamatory breast cancer", it is treated very different than the others. I am praying for you and your sister.

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  • jgrjunque
    jgrjunque Member Posts: 47
    edited June 2006
    Unfortunately, surgeons tend not to have good people skills. Fortunately, surgeons won't be in charge of your sister's treatment for most of the rest of her BC journey. What you want is a first class oncologist. That person will help you along, and help explain the options and the benefits and risks of various treatments.
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