Rapid tumor growth

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ufandi
ufandi Member Posts: 9
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

I am seriously disturbed by the growth rate of this cancer. When I had my biopsy on 11/11/13, I had 2 adjacent masses measuring 2cm and 6mm. After the biopsy the whole area swelled up and when I met with the oncologist the end of November, she estimated the tumor was around 6cm based on clinical examination. I got upset but figured it was just the swelling. I started weekly taxol on Dec 5th and when I went for my 2nd infusion last week, she said the area felt bigger and she wanted an MRI, which I had the next day (12/13/13). I just read the report, and it says the disease spans about 7cm. How is this possible?!?! Can a tumor really grow 5cm in a month? I am going for my 3rd weekly infusion today and the whole area feels softer, almost mushier if that makes sense. Way less swollen then before. Is that a sign that the taxol is working? I am only 34, and I wasn't even going for mammograms yet. I only knew anything was going on because I felt pain. Turns out I am BRCA1 positive. Lucky me.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2013

    ufandi, Like you, I had two masses. One triple negative and the other HER+. Mine also swelled after the biopsy and they felt huge to me. After my third infusion they did an ultrasound and I was told one was slightly smaller and the other was the same. This made no sense to me because like you, I knew they felt different and were softer. I had them removed after my fourth chemo - the triple negative tumor shrunk from 1.4cm to 3mm - practically nothing. The HER2 tumor was a little more stubborn and only shrunk a little. So please don't despair. Like you, I was very upset and my oncologist explained that what they are seeing could be scar tissue and until they remove the masses you can't really know for sure what's happening. Turns out he was correct. Hope that helps.

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  • bak94
    bak94 Member Posts: 1,846
    edited December 2013

    Ufandi-I was told by my doc that you really can't compare the size with different scans, like an mri might show it bigger than a mammogram, and it probably is really hard to estimate the size by clinical examination. All scans show from a bit of a different angle and there can be a difference in what is seen. I have heard that softer/mushier is a good sign! Make sure they do an mri to compare when you are done with treatment. For me the mri showed much more detail than the mammogram, which barely showed anything.

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  • Tracy1H1
    Tracy1H1 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2014

    test

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