Any Metastases to the Internal Mammary Nodes Survivors?

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Trisara5
Trisara5 Member Posts: 11
edited February 2022 in Stage III Breast Cancer

I want to connect with anyone who has gone through what I have.  I am almost a year out from ACT chemo and 8 wks of radiation.  Having my first PET scan since all of that and facing the dreaded Fear coming up once again...

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  • jennyboog
    jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
    edited December 2012

    I had mets to internal mammary nodes...still considered LOCAL advancement so, stay positive :)  I did ACT and rads, they did have to bring rads over to hit the +nodes but I'm still here and going strong.  I am 2 1/2 years out and will do another PET in Jan....so far so good.

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  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 1,384
    edited December 2012

    I had a positive internal mammary node. It was a sentinel node and my BS was able to remove it. Had A/C and Taxol, then rads for 7 weeks, with 7 days of rads boost to the IMN chain. I am 3 1/2 years out from diagnosis. Any time I have any kind of scan, I always ask the radiologist to take a good look at that area......he always comes out and says everything looks good!

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  • JacquelineG
    JacquelineG Member Posts: 282
    edited December 2012

    I had a positive internal mammary node and I'm 4 and a half years out :-), doing great!

    jackie

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  • Trisara5
    Trisara5 Member Posts: 11
    edited December 2012

    so good to hear that jackie!!!  I am having another PET scan and as you know they can be scary!  Have or did you have a PET scan after treatment to see status of Internal mammary node?

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  • Trisara5
    Trisara5 Member Posts: 11
    edited December 2012

    so good to have the positive feedback from all you women with the same DX as mine and to know that survival is great!  I needed to hear this since my PET scan is Thursday and haven't had one since all the treatments.

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  • JacquelineG
    JacquelineG Member Posts: 282
    edited December 2012

    Yes, Trisara, I did have a PET scan after chemo and before RADS and there was no sign of that mammary node! Chemo obviously worked on it but i did have radiation afterwards on all the nodes, including the mammary nodes (in my view, extra insurance).

    I'm hoping for the SAME results for you! I know that awful feeling right before a PET but it will soon be over and you'll be able to move on! i was very scared about the mammary node, but now I'm feeling very good and positive about the future!!

    will look for (good) news from you!

    jackie

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  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 1,384
    edited December 2012

    Trisara, please let us know when you hear something!

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  • Trisara5
    Trisara5 Member Posts: 11
    edited December 2012

    Just found out that my insurance company has denied the PET, so my appt tomorrow morning has been canceled! We fight this battle in many more ways than one, don't we?! So I will call my oncologist in the morning and see what she recommends.  I am also having bad skin reaction to the tamoxifen after being on it now for 9 months.  don't like my other choices in the Aramotase inhibitor family!  This all is so damn hard to figure out!!

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  • ProudMom_Wife
    ProudMom_Wife Member Posts: 634
    edited December 2012

    One of my closest friends was dx with Stage IIIC breast cancer 8 years ago.  She had a MX, chemo and rads.  A couple of years later she had a recurrance in the internal mammory node.  They were unable to surgically remove it due to its location.  Instead they decided to radiate it and then she went through chemo again and is now on Femara.  That recurrance was 4 years ago and she is doing great, enjoying life and going strong and her last set of tests and scans were great and showed no evidence of cancer.  She was treated in the Sacramento area at Sutter Health.  

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  • Trisara5
    Trisara5 Member Posts: 11
    edited December 2012

    ProudMom that is just what I needed to hear right now.  If she is in the Sac area, would she be willing to talk to me and give some encouragement?  Sounds like we had very similiar stories.  I would like to ask her about Femora.

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  • ProudMom_Wife
    ProudMom_Wife Member Posts: 634
    edited December 2012

    She is not on this board, but I will contact her for you.  Just to let you know she is somewhat private, so I do not know what her response will be, but I will ask.  I will send you a PM though because I know who her oncologist was at Sutter just in case you are interested. I know she would be OK with that, she truly believes he saved her life with the treatment plan he put together for her.

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  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 1,384
    edited December 2012

    Trisara...I am also taking Femara......it hasn't treated me well, but no recurrence. I have 2 more years to go on it.

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  • Trisara5
    Trisara5 Member Posts: 11
    edited December 2012

    Jacee, when you say Femara hasn't been good to you, what side effects or problems have you experienced with it?  

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  • Shrek4
    Shrek4 Member Posts: 1,822
    edited March 2013

    0

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  • clariceak
    clariceak Member Posts: 752
    edited December 2012

    I'm also three years out and my onc says I will continue on Femera indefinitely, which is fine with me.

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  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 1,384
    edited December 2012

    Trisara....I have severe foot pain now....like my feet are going to break sometimes. I cut back to 1/2 a pill 18 months ago. Initially I was getting trigger finger in 3 fingers along with all over joint pain. My Onc wasn't thrilled I went to half dose, but I felt it was the best I could do.

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  • Trisara5
    Trisara5 Member Posts: 11
    edited December 2012

    Good for you Jacee! I am having my CT scan in the morning and depending on what they find will figure out my next steps also.  The tamoxifen is making me have itchy hives breakouts, pain in my hips and stiffness in my joints.  I am drinking lots of dandelion tea for my liver and it seems to be working better now.  Fingers crossed for a clear scan.

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  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 1,384
    edited December 2012

    Wishing you a clean scan tomorrow!

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  • Trisara5
    Trisara5 Member Posts: 11
    edited March 2013

    SmileI had a clean scan and am so happy to report there was no cancer in my body!  Now to just get myself feeling better on the darn tamoxifen!

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited March 2013

    Good news, yeah!

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  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 1,384
    edited March 2013

    Great to hear!

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited March 2013

    Brava! Great news. As for the tamox, I am on femara and also have the foot pain on and off. But you could try it. Perhaps it would treat you more kindly than the tamox.

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  • pip57
    pip57 Member Posts: 12,401
    edited March 2013

    Tricera, just shy of 6 years for me.  Had chemo and 8 fields of rads.  Burned a whole clear through to my back.  But I'm still kicking!

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  • pip57
    pip57 Member Posts: 12,401
    edited February 2022

    Hello all. I can’t believe it’s been 15 years now. So thankful. Some heart issues from tx but I can’t complain.

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  • DeniseML
    DeniseML Member Posts: 81
    edited February 2022

    pip57; Congratulations on 15 years ! This is not only wonderful news for you, but all of us walking the same path. I am only 18 months out from diagnosis; 13 months out from mastectomy and 7 months out from end of all treatment. praying for the same results as you.

    Thank-you for coming back to share!

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