Scared ... More stress

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Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited March 2016 in Stage III Breast Cancer
Scared ... More stress
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  • azrescue
    azrescue Member Posts: 116
    edited February 2016

    So, I finally got the results of the HER2 (fish) and it was negative. Which the dr said you typically want. However, I was already estrogen & progesterone negative. So he was hoping for a her2 positive so they could use Herceptin or projeta. I'm trying to just accept that. After all there's not a darn thing I can do to change it. So here I am 47 (just celebrated my birthday), stage 3 triple negative breast cancer.

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  • Lookforward
    Lookforward Member Posts: 392
    edited February 2016

    azrescue

    I'm so sorry to hear this, you definitely do not need this news at age 47. Once your treatment starts you will start to feel better and it won't be so overwhelming. Hugs

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  • Sara208
    Sara208 Member Posts: 27
    edited February 2016

    I was diagnosed in Oct., 2015 with stage IIIa breast cancer. I've been diligently going through all my recommended treatments: mastectomy, chemo, now radiation. I have 9 more radiation treatments to go. Tonight, Friday night, as I was reading about living with breast cancer after treatment, I realized that I've had a large, painless, unexplained lump on my opposite forearm for at least 2 weeks. I didn't give it much thought when I first noticed it because I wasn't thinking further out than getting through the next assault on my body. But when I googled soft tissue cancer, this could lead fit the bill. Now I'm completely freaking out that this is a metastasis. I see my oncologist on Tues. morning--3 days from now. I don't think I realized that this could actually kill me. I'm only 48 and somehow never realized that stage III is pretty serious stuff. Any advice to get me through the next 3 days--and beyond? I consider myself to be pretty well informed, but I'm not trained in the medical field and I get the sense that my doctor and others are trying to placate me. I really want the truth: what does stage III REALLY mean? Besides the fact that cancer cells were picked up by lymph nodes and broke through in at least one place?? What is a typical prognosis for someone my age in my situation? I'd appreciate any responses

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  • QT314
    QT314 Member Posts: 29
    edited February 2016

    Hi Sara. I can't provide a validated medical opinion re your diagnosis or prognosis but this may just turn out to be something quite innocuous such as a fatty lump or ganglion which wouldn't have overly concerned you under pre-cancer circumstances. Common things occur commonly and I wouldn't have thought that a met would be on the top of the list esp as you are still undergoing treatment and early on on your journey. Fingers crossed and try not to lose too much sleep. Hugs and best wishes from another Stage 3er.

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  • Lolis197138
    Lolis197138 Member Posts: 512
    edited February 2016

    Sara

    As Pepita said it could be a fatty lump or something benign. Being diagnosed with this disease will make you a bit more sensitive to new pains and changes in your body.

    BC mets usually occur on the long bones (so usually it would not go below the elbow or knee). So if the lump is in your forearm changes are it's something non malignant. Did you have a CT/PET scan after surgery?

    You asked what it means in term of prognosis being a stage III. It depends on my factors like size, age, hormone receptive, grade and HER2 status. But it also means that the team will through the book at you. Because the risk of mets is higher for a stage III than the other stages you might get a treatment that's more aggressive. Each of us is different and we have other risks that could impact the prgnosis.

    Definitely ask your MO about it. Not sure if you found your own lump but if you did, does the lump on your forearm feel the same? Usually if the lump is soft and moveable it is benign.

    Keep us posted and sending positive vibes!

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  • azrescue
    azrescue Member Posts: 116
    edited February 2016

    Sara208 ~ I will share my experience with MO as far as the stage 3 ... I love her response!

    She said that when people ask me what stage to simply reply, "My dr said the stage isn't important, what is important is it's treatable and it's early stage."

    Her explanation made sense to me ... They consider stage 1-3 breast cancer early stage cancers. Stage 3 breast cancer is different then stage 3 pancreas cancer. And that stage 3 breast cancer is absolutely treatable.

    I myself stopped looking or reading about statistics. They seem so conditional to me, And all studies have a bell curve. I chose to be on the winning end of that curve. We can conquer this and continue to move on and live full lives. :)


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  • Sara208
    Sara208 Member Posts: 27
    edited March 2016

    Thank you so much for responding, Pepita, Lolis, and azrescue. Your advice did help me calm myself down some. My doctor got me in right away Monday morning. She ordered an ultrasound and it turns out the lump is just an inflamed vein from the chemo. What a relief, but also a lesson in not jumping to the worst conclusion. It's a hard thing, realizing how much my life has changed. Thanks so much for helping me!




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