Treatment question

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Basia
Basia Member Posts: 790
edited June 2014 in Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis

OK, trying to not think about any of this for the next few days, but we all know that is impossible.  I just had my "lumpectomy" this morning and am thinking about the next phase.  I was originally dx in 2010, stage 1 no nodes er/pr- her2+. Had chemo (TCH) andBMX.  

Now with this recurrence, is chemo a given if the receptors haven't changed? I know I will need radiation this time around, but no one will give me a definite answer yet about chemo until they get the pathology report back.  I need to know am I being ridiculous in thinking that chemo may not be necessary this time?  Has anyone had a recurrence after BMX and not needed chemo? A part of me doesn't want to go thru it again but another part wants the insurance policy it provides.

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited May 2014

    Hi Basia,  the answer is "it depends".  Seriously.  Is the lump they found all it is?  Assuming the lump was cancerous (doesn't have to be remember), they'll most likely do a PET or CT scan to check there are any mets. 

    If no, they'll treat this like a local recurrence -- you'll have radiation and herceptin.  I don't know about chemo.

    If yes, then there are all sorts of decisions to make, and what to treat with will be up to you and your onc.  Once someone is a stage IV patient you are into the "art" of treating cancer, rather than the science of it.  There are lots of choices.

    http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp#site

    Is a good set of treatment guidelines.  Those are the science, not the art.

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  • Basia
    Basia Member Posts: 790
    edited May 2014

    Pajim,thank you so much, you really made my day! I already had the PET, MRI CT scans and all that comes up is the little spots on the breast and one lymph node above it lit up but none of my dr.'s are concerned with it because of the way it lit up? does that make sense.  They didn't remove the node because their logic is that if the removed spots come back positive, I will need radiation which will take care of the node. I had a needle aspiration done which showed positive for cancer, without any details and that's what started all of this. My oncologist wasn't "100% convinced" this is cancer based on the limited information he had at the time, he saw the aspiration report, along with all the scans.  He said he will need a thorough pathology report before he can make any treatment plans or recommendations.  I dread the thought of telling my little girls (7 years old) that Ihave to go thru chemo again, the hair is a big issue for them.  Herceptin wasn't bad, SE are ones that no one else notices except for me, so I can live with it.  Thanks again.  I just need to hold on to the hope that chemo isn't a given so I can enjoy the time until they tell me otherwise. 

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