Recurrence risk after PCR for stage 3?

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Skiclaire
Skiclaire Member Posts: 14
edited April 2017 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

I am one of the lucky ones who had a complete response to neoadjuvent chemo. Following surgery, I was restaged from "2-something" to 3C because an intramammary node that was enlarged disappeared, indicating that it had been cancerous. I knew about the node. I did not know that confirmation of cancer in the node automatically places you in the stage 3 category.

While I am elated to have gotten a PCR and I know that it improves my prognosis, I am really struggling with the new staging. I feel like I did when I was initially diagnosed; just gutted. I thought that I had come to terms with my disease and was coping fairly well. I should be happy that after 7 months I'm finally finished with chemo, surgery and radiation and can now move forward with my life. But this new information has me reaching for the Ativan again and I can't get past it.

I've only just finished radiation and I meet with my MO next week to talk about my survivorship plan. I have a lot of questions to ask her about my prognosis, but I'm jumping out of my skin waiting. I feel like once I have some info (knowing that none of us are statistics and anything can happen) I'll be able to start to process this and accept it.

Any insight you may have into how a PCR affects survival stats for stage 3's would be greatly appreciated. Anyone else have a similar situation and how have you coped with it?

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  • LynnieRich
    LynnieRich Member Posts: 28
    edited April 2017

    Hey! I'd like to know this exact question! I was just reading an article on it actually. I think it said 88% no recurrence over a 5 year period. It did not tell TNBC only though- but for all BCs at Stage 3 with pCR. It infuriates me!

    I was clinically stage 2B but I'm an ultrasound tech and with my magic wand I could see at least 6 messed up nodes. So I knew I was Stage 3A at LEAST. What about all the micromets I couldn't see? Anyways, when I finished chemo and had surgery pathology confirmed that cancer had been in "several" nodes but was all dead now. And what is that about?! They don't have to give a specific number? Haha.

    Anyways I WISH I could find specifics. There just doesn't seem to be any studies that tell stats on TN Stage 3 with pCR. It's either all TNs all stages or all BCs Stage 3. If you find anything or get answer from you onc can you share?! I'd love to know.

    I am actually seeing my onc tomorrow for my first follow up. I'll ask about this and see what she says.

    Btw, I'm sorry about you being restaged. For what it's worth you might be feeling anxious, bummed etc anyways. I'm finding now that I'm done with things the anxiety is creeping in. And I was Fine in the beginning. Kinda like my emotions are catching up.

    💜ly

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  • Skiclaire
    Skiclaire Member Posts: 14
    edited April 2017

    Hey, another Massh*le! 😜

    It really is frustrating, isn't it? But then I have to remind myself that there are stage 1's who relapse quickly and stage 3's who never relapse, and everything in between. Like everything else with breast cancer, there just doesn't seem to be any guarantees so why should I get too wrapped up in statistics, anyway?

    I'm with you on the creeping anxiety now that treatment is over. In fact, each transition during treatment brought a lot of anxiety but once I got going in the next phase I handled it better. I've read that survivorship is more challenging than treatment in many ways and I believe it. Now that I've finished rads and my energy is improving, I'm starting to exercise more including yoga and that's helping. Trying to throw in some meditation, too when I remember, lol.

    I'll be interested to hear what your onc says tomorrow and I'll certainly report back after I see mine on the 8th.

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  • Skiclaire
    Skiclaire Member Posts: 14
    edited April 2017

    Hi Lynnie

    I'm wondering how your first follow up with your onc went? I have mine a week from Monday.

    Claire

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