Nodes

needtotalk
needtotalk Member Posts: 59
edited June 2014 in ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)
Nodes
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  • needtotalk
    needtotalk Member Posts: 59
    edited February 2008

    Hi friends.  I am going in for surgery (lumpectomy) next Tuesday, the 26th.  My lump is 1.2 cm.  The surgeon cannot feel any nodes, nor did they see any on the MRI.  They will be doing a Sentinel Biopsy - but I am still so worried that they will find positive nodes.  I hear on this forum of women in my same situation that end up finding positive nodes.  Does anyone know how common this is after a clear MRI.  Also, if they do find positive nodes, can your prognosis still be considered good?  Thanks so much!!

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  • shrink
    shrink Member Posts: 936
    edited February 2008

    I had many positive nodes after a clear MRI.  We were all unpleasantly surprised.  However, the scan after surgery showed no metastisis.  There are lots of women on this board going strong even with positive nodes.  I hope you won't have any.  Lots of luck on Tuesday.

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  • LindaLou53
    LindaLou53 Member Posts: 929
    edited February 2008

    Hello!



    I can certainly understand the worry about positive nodes. It is true that negative nodes are a better prognosis than positive nodes, but successful and complete treatment is still certainly possible with positive nodes. Many women are living long, cancerfree lives after having nodal positive cancers. There is a distinction between what is called "micromets" to nodes and fully involved nodes which particularly have larger than 2mm cancer growth. Of course the fewer nodes positive the better, but there are still numerous stories of women who had multiple positive nodes and are still around to tell about it.



    I myself had all 23 nodes positive for Lobular cancer and I passed my 2 year mark last December and am totally NED based on my CT scan last month. My first cancer which was ductal in 2000 had micromets to 2 nodes but the prophylactic mastectomy I had done in 2005 showed absolutely no signs of that cancer left anywhere.



    I am sure there will be many other women posting here who can tell you positive nodes are not an automatic death sentence. It is great that your tumor is small and no nodes showing up on MRI. The likelihood is that your nodes will either be negative or with very minimal involvement which still has a very good outcome.



    Hang in there!

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  • hollybee
    hollybee Member Posts: 32
    edited February 2008

    Hi, can I also chime in?  My mother-in-law had breast cancer over 10 years ago and had lumpectomy and full axillary dissection and almost all of her lymph nodes were "dirty".  She refused chemo, so she only had radiation and 5 yr of tamoxifen.  I can tell you she is still doing great, no recurrence and no problems since her original diagnosis.  So I'd agree with Linda Lou's assessment (and congratulations for 2 years, LL!). 

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  • LizM
    LizM Member Posts: 963
    edited February 2008

    I thought I was stage 1 before my bi-lateral over 2 years ago (ultrasound showed 1.4 cm tumor).  I also had an ultrasound of my auxilla before surgery which looked clear.  However, I ended up with a 2 cm tumor and 1 positive node.  I was devastated at the time and thought for sure I was doomed.  I had chemo, rads and am now on Femara and so far so good.  While your prognosis is better with negative nodes, you can still have positive nodes and do just fine.  My bc was considered stage II and still considered early stage with a fairly good prognosis.  Hang in there.

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  • dalycity
    dalycity Member Posts: 248
    edited February 2008

    Hi, needtotalk: My lump was also 1.2 cm.  Doc could not tell me anything about the nodes till he did the sentinel bioposy; took out 3 nodes and all were negative. I was a Stage 1c.  I had lumpectomy, radiation and now on Arimidex for 1 year already (I am post-meno). I understand that even with positive nodes, ladies still do well because one of the jobs of the nodes is to catch the cancer cells before it spreads. The radiation is supposed to kill whatever micro-evasion remains.  Best wishes to you.

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  • June68
    June68 Member Posts: 28
    edited May 2008

    Lindalou53,

    I was so happy to read your post. I just did double mastectomy& aux. lymph disection a week and a half ago. Initial test showed I had 6 lymphs, but biopsy came back that 17/17 were positive and I freaked out, this was after I did 8 rounds of chemo. Did you do you chemo before or after and if you don't mind sharing what did you have? I did 4 rounds Cytoxan, 1 round Taxotere & 3 rounds Taxol.

    Take care

    June

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