all grade 3 cancer cells go to the lymph nodes

There are several factors that determine if you need chemo. The genetics of the tumor. I see you have an oncotype Dx score of 20. That's intermediate. So you fall in that dreaded "grey" area. I think what makes you a good candidate for chemo is our Ki67 percentage. Your Ki67 growth rate is considered "high". Grade 3 tumors and tumors that have a high growth rate respond very well to chemo.

Initially my surgeon was thinking we could skip radiation. He was scheduled to present my case at their breast cancer monthly conference thing last week to get input from everyone. Anyway, the MRI indicated an enlarged lymph node. So that was biopsied, came back positive, so radiation now follows surgery.

Chemo was a given due to my age, grade, and presenting tumors. Basically they want to wipe out any cancer cells that might be circulating. I am off work during chemo due to my job duties (I work with biological samples that can be hazardous to people who are immuno-compromised) plus it's cold and flu season.

Acjeffery: I had a 1.2 cm ER/PR positive grade 3 tumor with no lymph node involvement. Chemo was recommend because of the grade. I went to a specialized Cancer hospital for a second opinion and learned more than I did from the local hospital. My oncodx score was 24 so there are a lot of considerations for chemo. When deciding what to do. I decided after the second opinion that 5% was not enough for me to subject my body to chemo.

Before making any decision get a second opinion from a hospital that specialized in cancer if you are being treated at a local hospital. You will be hit with a lot of information over the next month and a second opinion will allow you to make decisions that are best for you. After I told the local Dr's that I did not want to go with chemo,. they told me that they know they would not do chemo either at this point in my cancer treatment. Protocol told them to recommend it but they really didn't have enough information to know if it would truly benefit me.

hi.stage 1B grade 3 here. Oncotype dx 15. 2 lymph nodes removed with isolated cancer cells. Chemo and rads finished almost 2 months now. Hair growing and nails looking good... Taking lots of biotin. Fingers still numb but feet are feeling better since chemo.

Your oncologist should order the oncodx test or a mammoprint you can ask for insurance to get a preapproval. The test costs about $4000.

Because you are both er and pr positive your Dr might not see the need for the test hormone therapy alone might be enough but if insurance will cover I'd ask the Dr to order it.

Just my personal experience. 6.5 years ago I had a very aggressive multifocal triple negative tumor, biggest extension out of the dcis was 2 cm. I had no lymphatic invasion and no vascular invasion, not a single cancer cell in the lymph nodes. So it is possible to have a high grade cancer that isn't found in the lymph nodes.

I had a right prophylactic mastectomy the year after my left triple negative mastectomy. On the right we found various types and grades of dcis but good margins. 5 years later, a single node (nothing local) on the dcis side is found with a not aggressive highly hormone positive cancer...in other words, not the cancer you would expect to go to the node. I had it removed and it appeared to just sit in that one nood, didn't move to other nodes or break out of the node...

I think cancers with certain characteristics are more like to behave in certain ways, but at the end of the day, cancer is unpredictable and that is part of what makes it cancer.