New to Breast Cancer...Yay Me!!

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TRBAllenTX
TRBAllenTX Member Posts: 7
edited April 2016 in Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results

Good Morning!

My name is Tiffany. I am 48 and live in the Dallas area. As of this week I have joined the club!

I found a lump in the right side of my right breast at the beginning of March. Saw my OB/GYN on Fri, March 31. Had a diagnostic Mammogram on April 4, biopsy on the 5th and received the news on Wednesday the 6th, met my oncologist on the 7th and start chemo next Thursday the 14th!! How is that for whirlwind!!

I apologize in advance if I don't use the right terminology or list everything in the right order...I'm sure that will come with time! So here goes...I

I have high grade ductal carcinoma. The doctor's preliminary results put it at a Stage 2 bordering on Stage 3. I actually have 2 places in my right breast. One 10-11cm of ductal carcinoma in situ extending to the nipple and another 7-8cm ductal carcinoma invasive. I have several enlarged lymph nodes indicating involvement that it may have spread to other parts of the body. Pathology indicates ER/PR Negative and HER2 positive. Ki-67: High

As it stands...the doctor is confident this is beatable even if it has spread. The only unanswered concern is regarding if it has spread AND attached to another organ. If that is the case it isn't curable and we will go on the defensive.

Port placement is Monday and an EKG on Tuesday. I am still waiting to have a PET Scan scheduled. Needless to say, the PET Scan results are my biggest concern and fear!

My chemo cocktail is: Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin & Perjeta (TCHP) once every three weeks for 18 weeks. After chemo, I will have surgery (mastectomy), then radiation and I will continue with Herceptin for the remainder of the 12 months.

After reading several signature lines I am somewhat panicked over the size of my tumors compared to everyone else's!! Doctors haven't sugar coated anything so I know it is serious but holy cow! Most of the sig lines I have seen averaged 4cm tumors and I am working on 7-8 in the smallest one of the 2.

I think that is all I have for now....

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited April 2016

    TRBAllenTx, welcome!

    We hate that you have to be here, but are really glad you found us. We know you'll find great support, information, and help here! There're sure to be many members popping by to say hi soon!

    In the meantime, you may want to join the April 2016 Chemo group to meet others also going through chemo this month so you can ask questions, share experiences, and support each other.

    We look forward to hearing more from you and please don't hesitate if you have any questions at all, or if we can help in any way while you navigate our Community!

    --The Mods

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  • Maya15
    Maya15 Member Posts: 323
    edited April 2016

    Hi Tiffany and welcome!

    My diagnosis is similar to yours and I'm having the same treatment except that my chemo cocktail is ACTHP. On the "good" side, my doctors say the chemo is very effective for this type of cancer. For me the PET scan was also the scariest test because of the possibility it had spread elsewhere. Hopefully (and most likely) they will rule that out in the next few days.

    There are others out there with large areas of cancer, I am one of them. My sig says 1cm because all my tumors are less than 2cm but I have tumors all over the breast and "flakes" of cancer in between with the largest area 7.5cm. Hoping for a big difference at the end of chemo.


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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited April 2016

    Tiffany - wow, what a whirlwind is right! I am thankful they are moving quickly. It is all so new, scary and terrifying, but

    it sounds like you have a good team and a good plan. That is the hardest part - getting those preliminary tests behind you

    and having the plan. Since your plan is happening quickly, that is good as less time to think and worry!!

    Sending my best!!

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  • debiann
    debiann Member Posts: 1,200
    edited April 2016

    So sorry you are here. If it helps ease your mind at all, the larger tumor, if its pure DCIS, is not cancer. IDC, is cancer. TCHP is working well for many. Even those who are stage IV are reaching NED (no evidence of disease) and remaining on the HP part of the cocktail indefinitely, keeping the cancer at bay for many years. Prayers for you.

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  • Pdrchick
    Pdrchick Member Posts: 30
    edited April 2016

    TRBAllenTX - So sorry that you are joining our exclusive club! Definitey join the "Starting Chemo April 2016" chemo group. Its a lovely group of ladies sharing their experiences, every once in a while someone from the April 2015 will pop in and share experience and well wishes. I"m starting TCHP tomorrow. We'll get through this together!

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited April 2016

    Hi Tiffany, and welcome!

    Yes, it's tough to hear that your tumor is big. My IDC was over 5 cm. Good news: chemo wiped out all the active cancer in my breast and affected lymph node. Yes, chemo does really work well for aggressive tumors because it targets fast-growing cells. It won't affect your DCIS, but that will be taken out via surgery.

    I've had three PET scans; they are actually pretty relaxing (compared to an MRI). One warning: PET scans often detect things that AREN'T cancer. In all three of my PET scans, "something" lit up on my left hip. But, a CT scan and an MRI didn't "see" it, so my oncologist considers it to be a false positive.

    Best wishes, and yes, a chemo board is very, very helpful.

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  • TRBAllenTX
    TRBAllenTX Member Posts: 7
    edited April 2016

    Thank you everyone!!

    I had my port put in yesterday (Monday). I have an echo scheduled for today. My insurance denied the PET Scan so I am having CT Scans done of my chest, abdomen & pelvis and then a bone scan done. I have never had any of these types of tests run before so it is a little intimidating! I will be anxious to get the results on the scans so I will finally no everything I am up against!

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited April 2016

    OY about the PET scan, but CT and bone scans are OK. Hope your port placement wasn't an ordeal; mine was pretty routine. Having a port really helps if you're going to be having regular infusions, like Herceptin. I still have mine in, even though my last Herceptin treatment was in December of 2015.

    Best of wishes with your scans!

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  • 786tex
    786tex Member Posts: 42
    edited April 2016

    TRBAllenTX - Howdy from central Texas (Austin/San Antonio area) I am 49 and diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in February. I had 5 areas, 2 of which were over 6cm. I am triple positive and will be starting the herceptin, taxotere, perjeta regimen in a few weeks. I am about to get my 4/4 adriamycin/cytoxan and won't have surgery until after the HPT regimen. I would like to hear how that goes for you since I am having problems finding anyone on the boards with that combination. Wishing you the best!

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  • Donna210
    Donna210 Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2016

    how are things going? I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma. It is also in my lymph nodes. Waiting on appointment with surgeon next week. Going insane

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited April 2016

    786Tex,

    You should visit the Triple Positive Board! I began with AC, and then did Taxol/Herceptin/Perjeta (Taxol is the gentler cousin of Taxotere). Like you, I had neoadjuvant chemo (chemo before surgery). As a Grade 3 person, you should know that chemo works very well for quickly dividing cells -- that is what these meds target. Best wishes!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited April 2016

    Hi Donna,

    Welcome to the BCO community!

    Sorry you found yourself here but the ladies and men here will help and support you through it.

    You may also like to post in the IDC Forum as well as reading some of our main site content on

    Treatment and follow up care for IDC

    Wishing you well,

    The Moderators.

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