Positive nodes after chemo and BMX

I didn’t have chemo but I have never heard of asking for more chemo. My guess is it’s on to radiation for you. Path reports can fool doctors sometimes. They found a micromet in my SN that surprised my BS and stunned me.

Diane

misha- I had surgery prior to chemo and RADS. My MRI and pet scan showed no sign of any lymph node involvement. Much to my BS surprise I had one positive lymph node. Radiation was added to my list of treatments. I didn't find radiation difficult at all. I don't know what the protocol is for more chemo.Maybe a different chemo drug? If my positive node was macro metastasis would my doctor have shared that information with me. Other than telling me I had one positive node that was it.

I think it depends on the type of chemo you had. My oncologist said I was on the border between chemo before or after surgery. MRI was clear so we went with surgery first. She said that if I had chemo before or if the lymph nodes tested positive, or if the tumor was bigger than originally discovered, I would have four chemo drugs instead of two and I would need radiation. So, they may have given you the stronger protocol already.

Misha,

I was also in your shoes. I had chemo AC&T, then BMX with SNB. Pathology showed 2/3 nodes positive after chemo with evidence extravation. I went back in and had the ALND. Luckily (depending on how you look at it), they removed an additional 19 nodes that were all negative (praying for no LE). I did 30 rounds of radiation which was not bad at all. I was able to enroll in the PALLAS trial and was randomized to the drug arm so I am taking Ibrance for 2 years. MY MO and 2nd opinion MO both did not seem overly concerned about the + nodes and truly feel that the hormone therapy is the most important part of our treatment plan. Not sure if that gives you some peace. Just know you are not alone.

Hi Misha,

I have a similar experience with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. I had two surgeries following AC+T. First was for a mastectomy where they found 1/4 nodes affected. Second, was to remove a few level 1 lymph nodes. They removed 4 lymph nodes out of which one was affected. I'm 10 days out of surgery. Waiting for simulation and radiation, which will be for 5 weeks. I started taking tamoxifen on 7 January, about three weeks after my first surgery. I had to stop taking it 10 days before my second surgery and resumed it a day after. I'm going to ask my MO when I meet her this Wednesday if I can switch to AI before and during radiation. I got lupron shots throughout my chemo and am still getting it right now every month. My MO will also most likely put me on oral chemo after radiation for six months. I wish I had had a better chemo response too, especially given how the nurses and MO were so reassuring during my chemo clinical examinations. My research so far tells me that HER+/triple negative/high grade people tend to respond to chemo better and ER/PR + people less so. But even though I'm neither HER+ nor triple negative, my grade was II/III, so I don't know what to think. Anyway, I'm doing better now and am really looking forward to moving ahead with treatment. Thanks everybody for posting. Even if anecdotally, its reassuring to hear that perhaps we're not as anomalous as we think we are.