Dealing with More Bad News After Surgery and Pathology Report

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Bcky
Bcky Member Posts: 167
edited November 2014 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

I had two 1 centimeter tumors removed by lumpectomy last Friday. The DCIS tumor was initially a Grade 0. After Surgery/Pathology Report now a Grade 1. The IDC tumor was a Grade 2 now after Surgery/Pathology a Grade 3. They found tumor cells .18mm on one lymphnode. I am terrified of these tumor cells. Today I had a frontal head ache and the first thing I thought was it may be a tumor cell migrating to my brain. I have never had a headache like that. It came and went fast. It was a weird frontal pain in my forehead. I am very frightened. I also have read research that core biopsies can spread cancer cells to SNL and nodes. That core biopsies can seed cancer cells into the incision and needle lines of the biopsy.

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  • tamaro
    tamaro Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2014

    Dear Becky,

    I know these fears from up close and I deeply sympathize with the stress you're under right now. You could just as well be describing my mental state of a couple of months ago.

    The fears still surface every now and then, only now I manage to calm myself down faster, which is important in itself, because stress is said to have a negative effect on our body's ability to fight illness. Your weird headache (which really does sound familiar) is most likely due to your state of mental / emotional stress. No cell traveling through the body, no matter how vicious it may be, causes pain.

    When my fears haunt me, what helps me are these reassuring facts:

    - The tumor was taken out completely and I am now cancer-free.

    - Not every cancer cell that "escapes" is capable of creating a tumor.

    - Cancer cells develop in every healthy body and mostly our body destroys them.

    - My immune system is strong and it will fight those cells and eliminate them!

    I recommend that you find something that will help you lower your stress level and seek nutritional or life-style advice that will strengthen your confidence in your body's robustness.

    I hope this helps a little.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited November 2014

    Hi Bcky!

    If you wish, take a look at the article Managing Breast Cancer Fears from our main site. It may help you dealing with those bad news... Hang in there, we're here for you!

    The Mods

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  • grammakathy
    grammakathy Member Posts: 407
    edited November 2014

    Bcky - I am about a year ahead of your journey. I focused on one appointment and one decision at a time. When my thoughts started running ahead with all the "what ifs" I would pull myself back to earth and tell myself to just wait until the next appointment (with BS, or MO, or breast care coordinator) where I would get more information that would help in making the next decision. Once I made a decision about my care, I let it be and didn't second guess myself. Take someone with you to take notes for you. Also get your pathology reports and doctors notes in writing. We are gaining our degree in Cancer 101 as we go, and something might make more sense when you read it later. I also tried to remember that nothing had really changed. I had the cancer in me before it was found. I try to make the most of every day I am given. Hugs to you - it's hard but you can do this

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited November 2014

    Ductal Carcinoma In Situ and Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) at the same time is extremely rare. IBC is only between 1% - 5% of all DXd types (DCIS/IDC/ILC/IBC) and to be combined with another type is even rarer. Perhaps you meant IDC (Invasive/Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma)? (The OP edited to change IBC to IDC)

    What was recommended with chemo and/or,rads? You didn't mention your ER/PR and HER2 status which are important parts of what your TX plan will be.

    Be very careful what you find on that 'Quack Dr' Google and believing every word you read! Also of those who only write negatively. There is a lot of excellent information that can be found on line - however there is a lot of 'junk' there too. It can take a while to learn how to filter out the bogus from the legit.

    As you had at least 1 lymph node removed, have you seen a certified LymphEdema Therapist for a base line to be determined?


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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2014

    Thankyou for telling me not every tumor cell that escapes can turn into a tumor. I meant IDC not IBC I am sorry. I posted my diagnosis as public a while back and I am not sure if you can see it. Total terror.

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited November 2014

    HI Bcky - It IS total terror, especially when you think you have one thing and it gets worse in the pathology. It happened to me and it was a total kick in the teeth. The good thing is that it is out of there and now the docs know how best to treat it. No doc mentioned anti-anxiety meds to me, but I sure wish they had. Those meds were made for times like these. If you need something please talk to your doctor. I know the headache is unsettling, but more than likely it is stress related. Take things step by step, minute by minutes. We're here if you need us. We understand your terror and we'd love to help.

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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2014

    Thankyou I just had a shower and I am going to clean the apartment a bit. I read before showering about managing fear on here. I agree with all of it. Just at the root of the issue now I have to tell myself they took the cancer out. I still feel like I have tumor cells in my body running around looking to land. I must because they said they found .18 mm of cancer cells on a node during surgery. I cannot fathom chemo. The PA was asking if I would be interested in chemo as one tumor was upgraded to 3. I have to wait for my oncotype. I was just accepting radiation and oophrectomy and Tomoxifan. I live alone. My parents are coming in two weeks. I think bone mets are started by tumor cells that travel. How powerfully frightening. I take Ativan.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited November 2014

    If you are worried about A cancer cell  "running around",?  Have you had  full body MRI/CT, PET or bone scans done.to see what is going 8n?  Why not do chemo?  Chemo is systemic and kills cells in the entire body no matter where there are.  Radiatiion is directed to specific areas.

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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2014

    Yes I had a Cat Scan and the Surgeon thought I had rib mets. Then a Pet Scan said I did not. Because I am reading chemo can cause naeropathy etc. I also live alone. My parents will be here a few weeks to help and that is it. How can I do chemo for months all alone?

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  • Nancy2581
    Nancy2581 Member Posts: 1,234
    edited November 2014

    hi Bcky

    I wanted to let you know that my pathology report came out worse than what I was told as well. I was originally told my tumor was 1.5 cm and I had 4 doctors telling me they didn't think I had any lymph node involvement . Well when the pathology came back I had a 2.8cm tumor and a 2.8mm ( what is it with me and that number 2.8?) tumor in one out of three lymph nodes. I also had LVI. Well phooey.

    I was originally told lumpectomy and radiation. Well chemo got thrown into the mix. You know what though? Chemo hasn't been as horrible as I thought and I feel very fortunate that I have handled it well. I still walk my two chocolate labs twice a day and I will be done with chemo Dec 30th. Yahoo

    Some chemo can cause neuropathy. The taxanes like taxol and taxotere. I am taking l-glutamine to hopefully keep it away. So far so good. I do have some annoying side effects but nothing serious.

    If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

    Hugs

    Nancy



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  • Bicque
    Bicque Member Posts: 73
    edited November 2014

    Hi Bcky,

    I did chemo, 3xFEC, 3xD alone, it is doable. I had minimal SEs  and the fatigue was never bad enough to prevent me from taking care of the basic necessities. Do you have a nurse practioner or nurse navigator on your team? Perhaps she could tell you what services there are in your area that could help you out if you need assistance. Rides to treatments for instance. Do you live in an area where you can order your groceries online and have them delivered? Could you arrange to have your parents with you for the week of your first session, just to give you peace of mine and to see how you fare?

    Everyone if different in how they react to chemo and I was worried at first because I was going through it alone but it can be done, I was able to work throughout most of it.

    Best of luck.


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  • WinningSoFar
    WinningSoFar Member Posts: 951
    edited November 2014

    I've gone through chemo twice, and was alone. I agree that you can order groceries online and Amazon does sell just about everything, delivered to the door. I'd line up a neighbor or church member to be on call if I need her, but I didn't find it necessary.

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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2014

    Thanks ladies for the encouragement. My parents live 1000s miles away but they will be flying out by the 21st. I was under the impression chemotherapy was terrible. But I am reading different. Or more so Chemo is terrible but doable. Thankyou for your time and help.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited November 2014

    I did 4 DD A/C neoadjuvant (pre-surgery)  which did not slow me down at all.  Hair 'left', lost sense of taste and smell and appetite.  Did 12 weekly Taxol adjuvant (post surgery) - it was not 'nice'.  I was completely and utterly exhausted the entire time.  For others it is different.  I was fortunate as I did not have to do anything I really didn't  want to do - Hubby took over all house chores, cooking, dog and my bunny care, Son took over all horse and barn chores - so all I had to do was what I wanted to do.

    If I had t8 do it all again - I would do it in a heartbeat (even rads) to have the LIFE i habe still have today.  

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited November 2014

    Bcky, hormone therapy might help you since you are er+. My oncodx was 34 but I just couldn't do the chemo. I went right to Ai's. It is scary worrying about tumor cells running around but I try to keep my immune system healthy to fight them. Sounds like you are doing the right thing by researching and talking with people. They have medications to help manage chemo side effects even cold caps to minimize hair loss. Good luck to you you'll feel better when your parents arrive.

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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2014

    Thankyou Meow and everyone. I go see the Physician tommorow. I have a bit of a Seroma? in my boob. I was just reading DCIS is always grade 0. How come they upgraded my DCIS too. It was initially DCIS Grade 0 now DCIS grade1 and my IDC was Grade 2 and now Grade 3. Too weird. 1030 am appt. I will ask questions and get a copy of my pathology report. Meow your Oncotype score was so high for Grade 2. Wow. I think it is the genes in the tumor?

    Kicks they want me to do radiation and hormonal therapy for sure. They are talking about Chemo now and waiting for the Oncotype. I had 5 nodes removed. 1 positive. .18mm of cancer cells on the node.


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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2014

    Went to the PHds today. Got my boob looked at and requested a copy of my pathology report. I have some ILC tangled up in the IDC and DCIS according to the Pathology report. I had like 2 one cm tumors all wadded up in a mass of sorts. One was tublar. ICK. I see the Onc for Tomoxafin real soon.

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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2014

    LOL Ick! like a nasty whirl of cancer. Then again I have always been a curious gal. A traveler. Willing try many new things. My breasts reflect my personality." Lets try DCIS. No Lets try IDC. How about some ILC in there? How about one tumor round and greyish then a yellowish tubular one?

    LOL unbelievable

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  • blondiex46
    blondiex46 Member Posts: 5,712
    edited November 2014

    At  least u know what it is now, baby steps, n i know u cant shut ur head off

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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2014

    Yes.I am going to try tonight. An Ativan with Tv. I treated myself to RiceFlour bread Gluten Free. It will be my treat. I made myself go to my Phds appt. this a.m then Walgreens, then the car wash and bought bread and organic peanut butter. Going to make toast as a comfort food and try and relax. Most days since dx I have to make myself do what needs to be done. Tommorow eyebrows need to be plucked. I look bedraggled and like a crazy lady. Like a bomb went off in my life because it did.

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