How many positive nodes before chemo and surgery?

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Syl1969
Syl1969 Member Posts: 11
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

My case is not common ... i didn't receive neo chemo. During the surgery they found a occult tumor of 2.5 cm and 14 positive nodes. I have read that women with positive nodes who have a complete response to chemotherapy in positive nodes, have a better prognosis almost as good as a stage I. Unfortunately I will never know. Someone in my case?

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  • AgentMo
    AgentMo Member Posts: 72
    edited December 2012

    I have had surgery before chemo with 4 positive nodes. Sometimes, I also think that I would have liked to know the response of chemo. But imagine if you were not one of the lucky ones - then the beast would have had months more time to do its damage.

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  • CherylinOhio
    CherylinOhio Member Posts: 623
    edited December 2012

    I am not sure if I had neo chemotherapy?  My BS went in assuming there was no node involvement but there ended up being some positive ones. After they were removed along with my breast I had chemo and then rads.  What is considered neo chemo?

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  • TectonicShift
    TectonicShift Member Posts: 752
    edited July 2020

    .

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited December 2012

    Yeah well, don't feel too bad. I had neo-chemo, because the tumor was big and badly placed. They could not see any nodes light up on either MRI or CT, but they could feel two enlarged nodes. The chemo shrunk the tumor a lot, but did not make it disappear. One of the two nodes could not be felt after the neo-chemo.

    Surgery found 7 positive nodes. The node that did not shrink during chemo did not have cancer.

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  • hopefour
    hopefour Member Posts: 459
    edited December 2012

    AgentMo your comment helps me. I too had surgery first then chemo and rads and wonder if chemo did anything as my cancer is a grade 1. Like you said, having it removed before chemo gave it a little less time to travel, all though it had been there a long time( missed on two mamograms)!!

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  • beth1965
    beth1965 Member Posts: 455
    edited December 2012

    Hi i had surgery then chemo and rads. I had 9 cm tumor and 17 positive nodes they took out. I am doing okay i think so far so good

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  • maryannecb
    maryannecb Member Posts: 1,453
    edited December 2012

    Elected surgery first...so far ,so good!

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  • mgdsmc
    mgdsmc Member Posts: 332
    edited December 2012

    Well I had a lumpectomy first but margins were clear and another tumor was found. So I choose to do chemo first than BMX. So I guess that both neo and adjuvant treatment. I had 10 nodes removed 6 were positive during lumpectomy. I must admit I like knowing I had a complete response to chemo clear margins and no more nodes with cancer.

    There is no wrong are right way as long as the cancer is gone. It's normal to wonder though.

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  • RosesToeses
    RosesToeses Member Posts: 721
    edited December 2012

    I didn't have chemo before my surgery, either. Nodes looked clear on the MRI and they weren't entirely sure if it was 3 tumors or two, so the didn't recommend chemo until they had the pathology to see if I really needed it. Well, surprise, turns out I had lots of nodes with extranodal invasion and came out of surgery stage IIIA.



    I wish I did know for sure that the chemo worked, but what can you do? We're hitting this thing as hard and as fast as we can, and I'm choosing to be as optimistic as I can (with occasional lapses, of course, cause being human is like that)--I tell myself that if it comes back I'll have plenty enough time for worry and sorrow, I try not to waste the time I have now on it more than I can help.



    Wishing you the very best as you work through the feelings and slam the beast that cancer is.

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  • Kay_G
    Kay_G Member Posts: 3,345
    edited December 2012

    I had "multiple" nodes light up on MRI. Neoadjuvant chemo. Tumor shrunk a lot, but did not get a complete response. Largest node was 2.5 cms, axilla was clear in post surgery report, but 1 mm of cancer in 2 nodes in the tail. I was scared to death, but that's not living. What can you do, but hope it was enough. It does get easier.

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  • Law828
    Law828 Member Posts: 33
    edited December 2012

    I too, had surgery then chemo and last radiation. We knew there were positive lymph nodes prior to surgery. Thought it was 2 tumors at 2 cm each but turned out that it was only 1 tumor and the other was an enlarged lymph node. Out of 13 lymp nodes, 4 were positive. I had very aggressive treatment so I don't know if it makes a difference. I knew at that time I just wanted everything off/out. I thank God that I'm doing good 1 1/2 year later

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