TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

Hi Lily,

Yes, my MO examined me after chemo and before surgery, and he said he could not feel the tumor anywhere; he could not feel the enlarged lymph nodes either. Same with the surgeon. They were both very optimistic, particularly after the squeaky clean MRI with contrast. Unfortunately, I still had a solid 2.5 cm tumor in my breast and macro metastases in my lymph nodes. I screen very poorly because my breasts are very dense. Not sure if there was anything else they could have done.

Lack of pathological complete response is very common among triple positives, pCR is not the expected result.

LaughingGull

hybrids, glad they moved your appointment up. Things are hard enough no one needs to sit and stress. Praying for answers.

A question to those on Tamoxifen, did you have a ultrasound of your uterus when you started? My MO doesn't do a lot of unnecessary screening. I did go to my reg Dr and he did one with a Pap.

My MO did do a bone density scan. Which came back fine.

Thanks ladies about the Tattoo. Not sure who asked about size, but yes it goes across my whole shoulder

Hi Hopeday,

It seems that your surgeon and oncologist are not on the same sheet of music. Even when everyone agrees, a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment plan is confusing.

I'd seek a second opinion.

Vicky

Wow, Hopeday. I am so sorry you’re going through that. If the Drs have a different opinion, it’s so hard to know what to do. I agree with others about getting another opinion. Chances are, instead of getting a third option, your second opinion will agree with one of the others and give a thorough reason why, which might help you make a decision about which way to go.

Hi again everyone and hallo to all the new members! I have not been in here for over a year so catching up in the thread would take me a bit too long, however thought I would give some newcomers some positive reinforcement. I spent day and night on this site reading every post in the beginning. I am still NED. Yay! I hope it will remain. This summer I went to a cancer retreat for women recuperating and it was a wonderful experience. I met a doctor that reminded me that HER+ has great outcomes since Herceptin, perhaps she just wanted to give me some positivity but she mentioned this use to be their worst type but now it is the best! I have started to exercise more (not a lot) but I feel so much stronger since only a year ago. I can do more, walk longer without falling over. Worry becomes better with time as well for sure. Days go by where I do not think about cancer at all even if I only have one breast. I am not ashamed anymore to undress in the dressing room at the pool like I use to be. My hair is all grown back. I am on hormonal treatment but I am handling it. According to my doctor exercise is the best way to reduce symptoms, not crazy stuff, just getting your heart rate up twice weekly for at least 10 minutes. Walks and perhaps some more things that you enjoy. Anything. It gets the endorfines going and if you do it 3 times a week it will only take 3 weeks for the endorfines to kick in. it helps anxiety and depression. I am happy I am still here and just living life. Yes, I changed my job twice since diagnosis..:) Now I think I might have find something that I like to do without to much stress. There is just so much hope.

I just wanted to thank everyone for the help today. I saw my surgeon and we've rescheduled another surgery for Monday so she can do more excision. She said there was only one margin that wasn't as clear as they like so she only needs to remove tissue from one side. She said the LVI does mean the cancer has a greater risk of spreading but since my nodes were clear, it's a good sign and makes it more likely that it hasn't happened yet. She said my M.O. will likely speak with me about the LVI being extensive at a later date, after we get past surgery.

I hope everyone is doing well and is recovering from surgery with minimal pain, clean margins & great results.

For those of you who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy concurrent with herceptin, did you continue the herceptin schedule through surgery or did you stop it when you finished the chemo and then start it again after surgery?

WC3 - I did one herceptin between chemo and surgery. My surgery was scheduled for the day when I would have had my next herceptin so that infusion was moved out a week. I am also doing herceptin through radiation

WC3, I had a Herceptin treatment on a Thursday and had a lumpecectomy the following Wednesday. I have to have another surgery on Monday (to get clean margins) and will have a Herceptin treatment on Thursday. They didn't want to move or delay the Herceptin infusion.

Here are a few pages about Herceptin/Perjeta that you may find helpful, MACTAZ: Herceptin and one more Herceptin Plus Perjeta Slightly Better for High-Risk, HER2-Positive Disease Than Herceptin Alone

thanks hapa, that makes sense,

wc3 I had neoadjuvent chemo and didn't start my herceptin until after my surgery. I had failed lumpectomy and then BMX with diep flap recon and herceptin and AI both started after the last surgery. I have Lobular cancer and would have also had perjeta but I had such a bad reaction to it through 6 chemos( severe diarrhea with lost 30 lbs) so they said only herceptin.

I did not quite understand the rational behind first having chemo then surgery. I only got to see oncologist after my surgery. I understand that it maybe easier to determine if the chemo is effective or not by measuring if one has pCR. But for her2 positive, it's not a good measurement. One can probably choose smaller surgery based on the result. Anything else?

Also saw the news about the study SpecialK probably attended. Can't find any further information. Anyone know if the trial is still open?

https://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/national/ne...

ElainThere: Thanks for the explanation. Guess I was lucky that they approved Perjeta for me (tumor 2.2cm)

Hi all, just stopping by to say hi! Still around. Busy summer with my 91 year old mom in and out of the hospital and rehab. No falls, but had a gall bladder blockage, and a few months later, a minor heart attack. They saw a mass on her lung, which they don't know if it could be cancer or not. She's having a ct scan Tuesday, but she is pretty significantly diabetic and has a heart function of 15%. I'm not sure what knowing if it is cancerous or not will do because she can't have surgery and will not do chemo. And she is still feisty lol. Returned to her apartment where she lives with my brother, who really doesn't work or do anything redeeming, but he does care for her well.

Elaine there-I thought they were doing chemo first now in some cases to see how your tumor reacts to chemo, rather than surgery and then chemo where they don't really know if its effective. I had surgery first, and thought I had dodged the chemo bullet until it came back triple positive.

I am many pages behind as I haven't been on here in awhile but I hope everyone is doing well.