Stage I but grade 3

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waiting-to-exhale
waiting-to-exhale Member Posts: 61

my tumour is 1.9 cm and i have no nodes involved. Does that make me stage 1? Also, what is more important in determining recurrence risk, your stage or grade?

Comments

  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited February 2015

    Yes less than 2 cm no nodes. The grade 3 may seem scary but there are treatments that may work very well on your cancer. You may want the oncodx or symphony tests if you are hormone positive.

  • waiting-to-exhale
    waiting-to-exhale Member Posts: 61
    edited February 2015

    i am er+ pr+ her2-

    I was regraded from a 2 in the core biopsy to a 3 in the final pathology report. Its kind of freaking me out.

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited February 2015

    Sites like cancermath, predict.uk, and adjuvant online can give you an idea re: recurrence risk. Also you could always get a second opinion on the pathology from somewhere like Johns Hopkins. If your oncologist is ordering the oncotype dx that will give you a better idea of the aggressiveness of the tumor. Grade can be subjective to the pathologist.

  • hummingbirdlover
    hummingbirdlover Member Posts: 421
    edited February 2015

    I was also changed from grade 1 to grade 3 after surgery, which sucked! My BS told me that the biology of the tumor trumps, so the grade 3 trumps the stage 1. I had the oncotype test done which determined a low risk of recurrence, so chemo was not recommended for me. My tumor was small though, less than 1 cm.

  • hummingbirdlover
    hummingbirdlover Member Posts: 421
    edited February 2015

    It is scary, but hang in there! The fact that you are er/pr positive is good news! You may want to ask for the oncotype test? When do you meet with you MO? They will help you understand the recurrence rates and what the best treatment plan will be.

  • waiting-to-exhale
    waiting-to-exhale Member Posts: 61
    edited February 2015

    Thanks everyone. I dont have an appointment yet with the MO but I will definitely ask for an oncotype test.

    I am trying to be grateful for 0 nodes malignant and not fixate on the grade 3.

  • Nash54
    Nash54 Member Posts: 837
    edited February 2015

    Waiting-to-exhale.....my BS was never overly concerned with my grade 3 status. Clear nodes, clean margins and tumor removed. I read somewhere that grade 3 responds well to hormonal treatments.

  • hummingbirdlover
    hummingbirdlover Member Posts: 421
    edited February 2015


    Nash54, I'm so glad you posted, it made my day!  I haven't seen a lot of grade 3s on these boards who didn't end up with chemo and it's nice to know there are others like me.  I'm curious, did you have the Oncotype done or was your BS comfortable without it?  That grade 3 scared me, but maybe it didn't need to as much as I thought. 

  • Nash54
    Nash54 Member Posts: 837
    edited February 2015

    hummingbirdlover...My oncotype score was 24. My BS ocologist still did not recommend Chemo. I even had the mammaprint done...came by high/low....still did not think Chemo was the right course for me. I was 59 at the time and post menopausal...had been since I was 43. My BS onco is the head of the Breast Center I go to and he said that studies would be coming out soon to support the AI treatment for my particular case. Of course I did not want Chemo...so I was good with that.

    He said grade is just one piece of the puzzle...you have to look at all the factors and determine what's best. Also the oncotype is good at predicting chemo if your score is really high....like 30 or better and not needing chemo if it's low. When it comes to the gray area it's a crap shoot. Also, some women just choose aggressive and others not. My BS said if I wanted to talk with a MO about chemo he'd set the appt up for me....I declined but only because he felt strongly that it was not right for me. Other than BC I am in good health, and have never been on any medication until now.

    I'm on Femara and so far so good.

  • KleeKai
    KleeKai Member Posts: 29
    edited May 2015

    My oncotype came back high (33) so chemo is recommended.  I start Wednesday, 1 day a week every three weeks for four treatments followed by radiation.  Not happy about it but needs to be done.  I just want it over with.

  • windingshores
    windingshores Member Posts: 704
    edited May 2015

    Good luck KleeKai. It is a poor consolation but your Oncotype score would indicate not only that you need chemmo, but that your tumor will benefit from it, so you can be certain that you are helping yourself while you endure the treatment...

  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 658
    edited May 2015

    I too was stage 1 (1.4 cm) and grade 3.  My oncotype score was 23.  I finished up 8 rounds of CMF every 3 weeks back in April.  As of last Friday, my MO said my TMs are great and my blood work is good.  Red blood cells are coming up to near normal range.  White blood cells are still a bit low, but that could take awhile to come back up, if ever.  He said he is happy with where I am.

    I started on Femara yesterday so we will see how that goes.

    Good luck on everything!!!

  • windingshores
    windingshores Member Posts: 704
    edited May 2015

    I had grade 3, 1.4cm, high KI67 tumore, and LVI but my Oncotype on the biopsy sample was 8. I have been so nervous and afraid to believe this that I got a third opinion who ordered a retest on the surgical specimen- and just heard it was an 8 too. it doesn't make sense, but that is what they got, twice. No chemo, and I am doing Femara.

    For anyone with a grade 3 who is reading this, the Oncotype company told me that 30% of grade 3's get low scores.

    Chemo works best on rapidly dividing cells so I gather that higher scores do mean chemo will work well, and for lower scores, chemo will do more harm than good. The TailorX trial (I think it is called) might soon shed some light on what intermediate scores mean for chemo.

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