Multifocal Triple Negative

Sheila - yes, I had a 2.5 cm tumour at 11:00 (the lump I initially felt) and another 1.5 cm at 1:00 (found only on an MRI) in my left breast. They were considered close enough for a lumpectomy.

I don't think I've seen stats on whether TN is more likely to be multifocal than hormone positive BC or not. It is aggressive, so it stands to reason it may grow multiple tumours more readily. Multi focal doesn't seem to be all that common though. 

Hi, Shiela, I had 3 tumors in the one breast, one of which was very difficult to find.



Because one was so far apart from the other 2, I will have to have a mastectomy after chemo. At first I was devastated but I've come to terms with it.



Breast doctors, in my opinion, can gloss over small tumors, because perhaps the last patient they saw had a large Stage 4 tumor.



They tend to forget having breast cancer of any kind is initially terrifying to the person who has it.



As one of the women said above, I haven't seen any differences in recurrence multifocal vs one tumor. As long as they get good clean margins around ever tumor, that's what's most important.



You have every right to think through the appt., write down the questions you need answered and ask for a second appointment to get these questions answered. If your doctor is unwilling to do this, then it's maybe time for a second opinion.



Hope this is helpful.



Peggy

Hi Sheila,

This too is my first post.

In short answer...yes. I have 7 masses in my right breast and 4 in my left breast. I had 3 mammomgrams/sonograms in 18 months and each time my results came back "probably benign" and was told I had fibrocystic breasts. 3 month later, I had a swollen, light red right breast and I was sent for a biopsy and diagnosed with IDC, stage III, grade III, TN. My oncologist said the "mass" is approx. 6-7 cm (not sure how this was determined but pathology report stated) but according to the radiologist reports I have several masses. I asked him about this. He basically told me it's IDC so at this point it doesn't matter if I have 1 or 10, chemo STAT and then surgery. Since I have several masses I will need a mx in the right breast but I have chosen to do a double since there are masses in the left as well.

Hi Sheila...



So sorry you have to go through this twice...but since it came back in the contralateral breast, I was wondering if you were BRCA tested?



Lisa

Hi Sheila, I wish I knew if I had multiple tumors... I have no known primary.... The pathology is assumed breast cancer because I have a 4 cm tumor in my rt axillary lymph node.... Amazing how different the diagnosis can be... But the fears haunt us regardless... Keep thinking positive thoughts!

I am not TN but ER+. Stage 1, grade 3. My doctor seemed more concerned by the grade rather than the multifocal.

Sheila, I was also so thankful to get the negative results for the BRCA tests... I have a first cousin and her daughter that tested positive and a sister who is a 7 year bc survivor ( never got tested). I have 2 daughters so the day I got the results was the happiest since this all began... So relieved they cant get the gene from me!