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Wondering if I'm taking the right path...
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Aug 23 8:48am | Replies (33)Comment receiving replies
I went to a panel discussion on breast cancer here in Omaha. From that I took away several points. 1) Having a mastectomy does not reduce the chances of breast cancer returning. 2) if it does reoccur, the 4 most common places it comes back are the Brain, Bones, Liver, or lungs.
What was your oncotype score? Mine was 22, so I did not need chemo. I had IDC stage 1B. I elected to have a lumpectomy, radiation and take an AI drug for 5 years. My lymph nodes were all clean. I did have genetic testing but found nothing concerning - but I do have relatives with breast cancer - including a sister. I finished my drugs last November - so I hit my 5 years. I thought the end would never come 🙂
Get the Oncotype test done! It's a test on the tumor they remove. If it's above a certain number - you need chemo. Since a lymph node was positive - I'm really surprised you did not already have chemo. you are so young - they will put you on Tamoxifen if it is ER/HR+ You have to take control of your treatment and the most important thing is to get an oncologist and cancer team that you trust. But it's still your decision. Best wishes.
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p.s. Congrats on completing your 5 year journey! Did you have any side effects from the drugs along the way? Which AI were you taking?
I would question the assessment that a mastectomy does not change anything. I only heard about lympho vascular invasion post surgery and was told by my oncologist at JohnsHopkins that it was good that I did the double mastectomy as it removed all that tissue, as I had a small amount of it. I also had some microscopic DCIS that got removed with the tissue. I feel positive about my choice. I also did not reconstruct and I feel that it will be easier for me to detect any changes.
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Thank you for sharing, Kathy. I have not heard anything about an oncotype score... It MIGHT have been mentioned after my last surgery, but I was obviously so out of it, who knows what she might have said. I believe chemo is on the radar as the follow-up nurse told me to make an appointment with the oncologist I consulted with a while back. I am still awaiting my post-op appt. with my surgeon next week. She's pretty thorough; just sucks that she went out of town a couple days after my surgery. I'm definitely staying diligent in following up!
Trying to keep in good spirits in the meantime.
Thank you.