42 out of 43 positive lymph nodes

Rbwbs2
Rbwbs2 Member Posts: 3

Does anyone know someone who has this many lymph nodes which were positive? My scans after surgery were clear, but doctor put me on Ibrance since the number of positive lymph nodes. They tell me I’m stage 3.5 or 4 because of the lymph nodes. Want to know if there are others out there and what their treatment plan is. Thank you

Comments

  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited June 2018

    43 nodes removed sounds like alot but sometimes they remove more than others. I have seen people with 9 out of 9. I think 42 out 43 and no distant metastasis is still consided early stage even if it is classified stage 3.

    You might want to post on stage 3 forum, I know you are not alone.

    The following link might explain why the surgeon got 43 nodes instead of 10. They remove a layer where the number of nodes is unknown then they test them.

    http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/lymp...

    Interesting I always thought they could surgically remove each node individually.

  • Tomboy
    Tomboy Member Posts: 3,945
    edited June 2018

    My surgeon explained that sometimes the nodes are in a little kinda fatty 'package'.

  • Marie715
    Marie715 Member Posts: 46
    edited June 2018

    I had ILC and I had 18/21 lymph nodes positive for cancer. It is maddening. My bilateral mastectomy was February 2014.

  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited June 2018

    What is stage 3.5? I’ve never heard of that. My stage was 1b. I’m not all caught up in staging because metastasis can occur from early stages but slightly optimistic being my stage was 1b and a grade level of 1. I did have a micromet in my SN. My BS said they had to dissect and re-dissect to find it. My Oncotype score was 11. I asked my MO why they didn’t remove other nodes and she said no need to.

    Diane


  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited June 2018

    There is no stage 3.5 and even piles of nodes does not make you stage 4. It does make it "locally advanced" which is the collective term for stage 3B and 3C. You are not alone, and many of us are still around years later.

  • Jojobird
    Jojobird Member Posts: 203
    edited June 2018

    Hello,

    I had 21 nodes, all positive, removed in the "package" described above. Still here, still kicking, and wishing you the same. Love out.

Categories