reading about internal mammary nodes. Now very scared!

I have a positive internal mammary node and am stage III. My pet scan was clean. So sorry you're going through this again. The problem with the internal mammary nodes is they are often inoperable so I received an extra blast if radiation in that area. I know it's hard, but don't spend too much time with dr. Google.

Hey I just read this.

HUGS to you. Breathe!

Let us know how it turns out.

Wendy  

(((bkj66))),

Yuck, I am sorry you are going through this!  Waiting is THE WORST!   Once you get a clearer picture you will be able to get a plan of action.

Not sure where you are referring to with the medistal thing, but depending on the amount of lymph node involvement, and the size of your tumor you still could be stage III.  Even w/my high node count and more than one tumor (one being LARGE) they called mine "advanced LOCALIZED breast cancer" because it had not spread to further organs, bones, etc.

So as the other VERY WISE ladies have said here, TRY to breath, stay as calm as possible, and wait until you get exact information.  I DO NOT recommend "Dr. Google" right now!  There are way too many variables at this point to self diagnosis yourself!  

Take care,

Sharon

Before my first Breast MRI I was warned that there would be all sorts of things showing up - they do show up everything! Everything that showed up on my good breast (there were 3 things that required further investigation) were B9.Hang in there!

I just wanted to give you my support as a fellow Stage IIIc triple negative.  I started with a great response to chemo, but about a month before I was done, the cancer figured it out and started to spread like wildfire.  My post mastectomy path report was scary, and I had a PET to make sure I wasn't Stage IV.  We found 2 more infraclavicular nodes, but nothing else, so I went back and had those removed.  Two days after that surgery, I could feel a supraclavicular node - we don't know if it is surgical changes, or the cancer (didn't show up on the PET), but since I am starting radiation in less than a week, we are moving forward, and my RO is confident he can clean up anything there.  I'll be doing more chemo after the radiation in an effort to reduce my risk for distant mets.

I do know that chemo and radiation can be very effective for TNs - don't let my story scare you, it is rare for that to happen.  My RO is going to be hitting my intramammary/medistinal area as well.  I'm sure your RO will do the same.

Regarding TN and remission, yes, it can happen that once Stage IV, we can find the right maintenance drug that will keep us stable for long periods of time.  A good friend of mine is over 16 months out, and is only on Zometa for her TN bone mets.  She had a liver lesion, did 4 months of chemo, and it hasn't come back.  We don't have as many options as ER+ women, but there are many chemos that can be used.

I totally get the "feeling doomed" feeling.  I told my husband I feel like I'm trying to catch a slippery fish with just my hands.  I can get a hold of it, but it squirts out down the river.  But my MO and my RO are both encouraging, and both have seen TN women Stage IIIc go on to live cancer free 5+ years.  As my RO said yesterday, you can not predict the course of the cancer.  Sometimes it likes to stay local.  Sometimes it does not.  For the sake of my 3 young kids, I am pushing forward as if mine is contained.

I had internal mammary nodes too and so am IIIc.  They cannot be removed surgically.  However, chemo took care of them for me and then rads to get rid of any microscopic cells hanging around.  The internal mammary nodes showed up on an MRI.  Because of that, the rad onc recommended rads. 

Hooray for clean PETs! Best news evah! Yes, my PS actually just happened upon those darn mammaries during reconstruction and yanked those suckers during surgery as they were in the way. He didn't know they were going to be positive, just took them out because he wanted the space they were using. Turns out all three were positive so my surgeon supposed that I would have had to have more based on the count I had elsewhere, but he said the chemo would get them, and it did. Had my surgeon and Onc known the extent of my node involvement prior to surgery, I would have had chemo before surgery and possibly after. As it was, I only had it after. They had no clue that I would have had so many positive nodes since none of them were palpable and I didn't have a PET. Every doc is different though.  Never heard of having AC twice, but if it were me, I'd go for it a second time if it were me

Yes! I had surgery and recon together first, then chemo then radiation. Radiation is a must. Do it ALL. Whatever they can give you take it. I did 28 radiation sessions to 4 separate areas. Good luck with your chemo! You'll do great!

So, I just came across this post, this is an old one...so not sure if anyone will even respond.

I finished chemo in June and my cancer was on my right side. As of July I have been dealing with a swelling on my left side and I now know it is my internal mammary lymph node area. I've had alot of infection on this side and I think the doctors think it is related to that, but the area is hard and seems at times to be bigger than at other times. I've had conflicting suggestions for biopsy to no lets just wait and see. I'm currently taking 1800 mg's of clindamyiacin to see if that clears any of the SE's, but so far nothing.

IDK, I mostly don't think it is cancer, but am concerned that it is. Just hoped someone might see this who has dealt with this. Thanks.

hi I was just wondering how you were doing. I have been just diagnosed with recurrent cancer with mets to the internal mammary node. Did you have a biopsy of this node. Dr is asking for this. I am very scared as I hear it is very painful and some doctors feel I think is unnecessary. If you could share your experience I would appreciate i