Why chemo if no nodes or LV is present?

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melissa233
melissa233 Member Posts: 10
edited June 2017 in Just Diagnosed

I have a very large tumor which made me stage 3 , it took up over 70% of my breast. BUT, all 12 nodes were free of cancer and no vasular invasion was seen. The Dr is pretty confident that the tumor was just in the breast and he said the only way for a tumor to travel and spread is through nodes or vascular, so my question is, if it was not in either of those, why do chemo? I was so nervous and forgot to ask, will on next apt.

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  • powerthruit
    powerthruit Member Posts: 59
    edited June 2017

    Hi Melissa,
    I had a large tumor as well and no nodes. Mine was not grade 3. I did surgery, chemo and am on Arimidex. Hard to tell, because not all of your dx is here, but my guess is given the grade and size it's standard of care. In addition to this site, NCCN.org (for patients section) is extremely helpful for understanding treatment guidelines.

    - Rebecca
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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited June 2017

    The chemo would possibly kill off stray cancer cells, it would be used to prevent a recurrence in your case. Even though cancer wasn't detected in your lymph nodes it could have gotten through.

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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited June 2017

    Because not only was your tumor huge, it was Grade 3 and triple-negative. And ILC is sneaky.

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  • ML1209
    ML1209 Member Posts: 241
    edited June 2017

    melissa - my lymph nodes were negative as well, at least my MRI and ultrasound have shown that. I had a LX with SNB on 5/24 so will know for sure when path report comes back. Some cancers respond to chemo, some do not. My tumor type was grade 3 and known to be aggressive. It is also known to respond well to chemo. They can test your tumor and find out specifically what it will respond the best to. Even with negative lymph nodes - you can still have cancer cells that have traveled so chemo is needed to wipe those out. I had my chemo prior to surgery. The tumor was completely gone and I was able to have a lumpectomy. Hopefully your doctor will explain better your specific tumor type and why chemo is best. I know it is i overwhelming and hard to even know what questions to ask.

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  • NancyHB
    NancyHB Member Posts: 1,512
    edited June 2017

    Melissa - I'm a little confused, hoping you can help me here. You were diagnosed a year ago and are considering chemo now? Or are you wondering about whether you should have done chemo back then? With such a large tumor (that sounds, to me, as though it may have ulcerated through the skin?), grade 3 and potentially triple negative, I'm surprised your doctors didn't really push for chemo. Is there a reason you chose not to do it?

    Hope you don't mind my questions, just wondering if you're second-guessing your decisions. I would assume it's too late to go back and do chemo now; what have your doctors suggested

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited June 2017

    Because your skin is involved and the cancer is grade 3. But you should definitely ask the doctor to explain.

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  • melissa233
    melissa233 Member Posts: 10
    edited June 2017

    yes, i am really regretting my decision. it is to the point that i am getting alot of anxiety and depression. i literally think 24/7 about it, and think every little thing is the cancer back. it has ruined my life

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited June 2017

    Melissa, you need to hold on to "it has been a year and no sign of cancer". That is good news. As long as you are under surveillance doing tumor marker tests, mammograms and mris relax. Your doctor is looking for it, if it shows up again then act. Chemo is by no means a cure, many women get the cancer back that have had chemo.

    You did the surgery and removed what was there. Because you are triple negative and grade 3 if you don't see this cancer after 5 years it probably won't come back.

    Good thoughts.

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited June 2017

    I'm confused. After the post above you posted this: "I was stage 3 IDC, 0/12 nodes, no vascular invasion but my tumor was 11 cm. i refused chemo also. only had a mastectomy. i am 14 months out, and do not regret my decision either."

    Please clarify.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited June 2017

    Confusing!

    "it actually ulcerated on the skin". " it was 13.5 cm x 10cm x 2 cm". "I'm really regretting my decisions". "I do not regret my decision". Different posts - different Threads all within the last 2 days.

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited June 2017

    Thought I'd had a stroke trying to get the story straight.

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited June 2017

    I don't know if it was anxiety that got to her. I could relate because I chose to not do chemo with a high oncodx score and about a year later became semi panicked that I made the wrong choice. I thought Melissa was experiencing something similar. You cannot go back just forward. I have learned that you make your decisions they aren't right or wrong and go on.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2017

    I've posted on OP's other thread, but I've since read on a third thread that she is very happy with her previous decision to forgo chemo??? I'm still not straight.

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