TNBC: Pain in armpit, how do I ensure it's not cancer coming back?

Diagnosed with TNBC in 2021 - turned out to be QNBC. I had 4 cycles of NAC and 12 cycles of Taxane chemo. Tumour shrunk by 98%.
Double mastectomy and reconstruction in August 2022. 6 weeks of radiation ending in October 2022. Found a new lump in Dec 2022 and was confirmed same type in January 2023. Now on 6 cycles of Gemcarbo and tumour has shown reaction to chemo.

So many symptoms and not sure whether from cancer or chemo. Also battling recurring cellulitis infections including in chemo port. Severe headaches and bone pain (receiving GCSF injections and compacted blood transfusions). I have a very supportive family, but need to talk to others in the same boat - I want to stay optimistic. Any advice?

How is your WBC? I had to be hospitalized 2 times due to side effects from Gemzar and Carbo. Then had to give myself daily Zarxio injections plus had to have blood transfusions for my platelets. Hope you aren’t having any of that. This was from my TNBC reoccurrence. I also had many problems with my port. Had to have it removed & replaced… ( it’s out of my body now)

Hi there - I’m giving myself GCSF injections every 3 weeks. In hospital now for second transfusion and having the port removed. Three rounds of cellulitis and countless antibiotics. Good luck to you also.

just following up...did anything ever develop from the pain you were experiencing in your armpit? Have the doctors agreed to yearly MRIs or every 6 months? Hope all is well.

I have pain in the armpit. Dr. Told me it was combination of surgery scar tissue and radiation. The radiation makes the skin tissue harder. At least that was what was explained to me. We are going to watch it. I have dense breast also and “a lot” of my cancer didn’t show up in MRI. However I have always been in that high risk group because of my mother and get a MRI every year.

What are GCSF injections? Xoxo

It’s a granulocyte colony stimulating therapy that increases the neutrophil count. The injection is not painful but causes extreme bone pain in the following few weeks. It works like magic to prevent neutropenia.

(What is QNBC?)

Hi - it is actually quadruple negative breast cancer. At first classed as a subtype of TNBC, but should be in its own category. It means you also test negative for (AR) or Androgen Receptor.

Me too