24 lymph nodes removed, 11 had cancer

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blazytracy
blazytracy Member Posts: 157
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I just got back from the Dr. (surgeon) Modified radical masectomy last Thursday (1 week ago today) so got the pathology results...I just found it very strange that the Pet-scan showed 3 lymph nodes only when in fact there were 11 that were with cancer? Is this common? He said clear margins so I guess I am thankful for that but still....what is the probability of cancer spreading if 11 nodes were affected?? Anyone? I meet with the Oncologist and Radiologist on the 13th to discuss chemo and rads..which I will need both.
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  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #2
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    Unsure
    Tracy I just don't know what the odds are of the cancer spreading with 11 positive nodes, I do know that with everyday they come a step closer to a cure and it is our job to fight this beast and stay alive so when they find it we can benefit from it. I know it is so hard but try to think of the positives, you are here and there is something that can be done to keep the cancer at bay. We are here for you to help you along this path none of us wish to travel.

    Hugs,

    RE
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #3
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    I had two lymph nodes out of
    I had two lymph nodes out of 15 with cancer but there could have been more because I had chemo first before surgery. The surgeon said there was no way to tell. I don't know if the scans are that accurate. It seems like they don't know if it's cancer unless they biopsy them. Probablility of cancer spreading would be a good question for your onc. Hang in there.
  • Fran1947
    Fran1947 Member Posts: 72
    #4
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    Lymph Nodes
    Hi Tracy,

    I found Susan Love's The Breast Book to be very helpful in terms of factual information about all these things. It helped me interpret my pathology report, which has all kinds of information, if we only knew what it meant! In the end, though, it is all statistics and guesses. I believe our attitude is an important part of the mix, too - and is really the only part we have any control over anyway!

    Fran
  • blazytracy
    blazytracy Member Posts: 157
    #5
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    Fran1947 said:

    Lymph Nodes
    Hi Tracy,

    I found Susan Love's The Breast Book to be very helpful in terms of factual information about all these things. It helped me interpret my pathology report, which has all kinds of information, if we only knew what it meant! In the end, though, it is all statistics and guesses. I believe our attitude is an important part of the mix, too - and is really the only part we have any control over anyway!

    Fran

    thanks fran
    Thanks Fran! I will look that book up..my husband works part-time at the library..I know thst nobody can say a prognosis exactly and all things considered, I am beginning to realize that I really don't think we would want that?? I guess that I am still in the "I don't believe it stage!" ...I had absolutely no symptoms and if it wasn't for my husband finding my mass (5.4 cm!!), would it have been found by now?? Who knows. I am glad that it was of course, thanks for you input!!
  • Fran1947
    Fran1947 Member Posts: 72
    #6
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    blazytracy said:

    thanks fran
    Thanks Fran! I will look that book up..my husband works part-time at the library..I know thst nobody can say a prognosis exactly and all things considered, I am beginning to realize that I really don't think we would want that?? I guess that I am still in the "I don't believe it stage!" ...I had absolutely no symptoms and if it wasn't for my husband finding my mass (5.4 cm!!), would it have been found by now?? Who knows. I am glad that it was of course, thanks for you input!!

    BTW
    Love the dog! He looks like a real sweetie.
  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 Member Posts: 2,072
    #7
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    Fran1947 said:

    BTW
    Love the dog! He looks like a real sweetie.

    Tracy
    Firstly, I have to say I want to adopt that gorgeous dog ( I lost my beloved German Shepherd last month) I went into surgery expecting no lymph node removal........he took them all. Oh well, I guess it was for the best, I just wish they would tell us some of the facts before we learned them for ourselves.
    Anyway, good luck with everything, It's often a suprise what they come up with... Hell My Mammogram showed nothing...It was over 7cm and visible. I am glad you have found this room, sorry I am not participating much at the moment, I have problems too. And I am revelling in being a miserable sod.

    Hugs Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • MaryB1951
    MaryB1951 Member Posts: 1
    #8
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    Lymph nodes
    Tracy,
    Are you sure that 11 nodes had cancer or did they take 11 nodes? Please don't think I am some know it all because I have not even had my surgery yet as the tumor was so large they wanted to do neoadjuvant therapy to shrink it. But the surgeon who did my biopsy told me that even though he thought from the biopsy on the lymph nodes that only one was positive he still intended to remove 20 when he does the surgery in November (hopefully). That is why I am wondering if that is just how many they had to take to get what they feel are good margins around the bad ones! I won't say the dread words but keep us posted we are all in this crappy boat together!
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #9
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    MaryB1951 said:

    Lymph nodes
    Tracy,
    Are you sure that 11 nodes had cancer or did they take 11 nodes? Please don't think I am some know it all because I have not even had my surgery yet as the tumor was so large they wanted to do neoadjuvant therapy to shrink it. But the surgeon who did my biopsy told me that even though he thought from the biopsy on the lymph nodes that only one was positive he still intended to remove 20 when he does the surgery in November (hopefully). That is why I am wondering if that is just how many they had to take to get what they feel are good margins around the bad ones! I won't say the dread words but keep us posted we are all in this crappy boat together!

    Positive attitude
    Hi Tracy,

    I think positive attitude did help me. When my pathology came back with 10 nodes positive and clear margins my surgeon convinced me that cancer was removed from my body and believed her. If your PET/CT scan showed that you do not have cancer in other organs you should believe this test. It will help you to go through CHemo which suppose to kill single cancer cells if there are any left. I have been consider myself cancer free since my radical mastectomy and clear margins pathology. I have considered Chemo and Radiation as preventive treatments.
  • blazytracy
    blazytracy Member Posts: 157
    #10
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    tasha_111 said:

    Tracy
    Firstly, I have to say I want to adopt that gorgeous dog ( I lost my beloved German Shepherd last month) I went into surgery expecting no lymph node removal........he took them all. Oh well, I guess it was for the best, I just wish they would tell us some of the facts before we learned them for ourselves.
    Anyway, good luck with everything, It's often a suprise what they come up with... Hell My Mammogram showed nothing...It was over 7cm and visible. I am glad you have found this room, sorry I am not participating much at the moment, I have problems too. And I am revelling in being a miserable sod.

    Hugs Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    hey tasha
    Yes, my "katie" dog is a definite sweetie! I don't know what I would do without her. I am sorry about your german shepherd..it is SO hard losing a dog I know. My onc showed me my mammogram from Oct.'08 compared to Sept.'09..they looked the SAME! It is hard sometimes to believe that they cannot detect a 5.4cm mass although I had/have very dense breasts. I would like to know more about your situation when you have time..if you don't mind?
  • blazytracy
    blazytracy Member Posts: 157
    #11
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    MaryB1951 said:

    Lymph nodes
    Tracy,
    Are you sure that 11 nodes had cancer or did they take 11 nodes? Please don't think I am some know it all because I have not even had my surgery yet as the tumor was so large they wanted to do neoadjuvant therapy to shrink it. But the surgeon who did my biopsy told me that even though he thought from the biopsy on the lymph nodes that only one was positive he still intended to remove 20 when he does the surgery in November (hopefully). That is why I am wondering if that is just how many they had to take to get what they feel are good margins around the bad ones! I won't say the dread words but keep us posted we are all in this crappy boat together!

    Hi Mary
    Yes they took 24 nodes and 11 of those had cancer. I didn't ask but assumed that is how many they had to take in order to get good margins? How large was your tumor? My pet-scan detected only 3 nodes but after surgery I found out that 11 (not three) were positive. My surgeon told me the pet-scan is good but not perfect...
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #12
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    blazytracy said:

    Hi Mary
    Yes they took 24 nodes and 11 of those had cancer. I didn't ask but assumed that is how many they had to take in order to get good margins? How large was your tumor? My pet-scan detected only 3 nodes but after surgery I found out that 11 (not three) were positive. My surgeon told me the pet-scan is good but not perfect...

    Hi Tracy,
    Welcome. As you can see, many women here have had positive lymph nodes. It's really common and beatable. Margins refer to the edges of the area of tissue they removed from your breast. If those edges are free from cancer, they assume they got all of the cancer out, and you have "clear margins." Lymph nodes are the first place that cancer will drain into when it starts to spread beyond the breast. Everyone has different numbers of lymph nodes in underarm area, hence the different numbers that are removed.

    Glad you're here with us.

    Mimi
  • Lymph23
    Lymph23 Member Posts: 23
    #13
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    Lymph nodes
    Hi just read about you finding out you had 11 lymph nodes affected. Can't say about the probability of cancer spreading, all I can tell you though is that I had 26 lymph nodes removed of which 23 were affected. My oncologist also gave me chemo and radio theraphy,
    that was 61/2 years ago I have been told that I have the all clear now. All I can tell you is just be positive because this is half the battle as well. Wish you well for the future.
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #14
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    Lymph23 said:

    Lymph nodes
    Hi just read about you finding out you had 11 lymph nodes affected. Can't say about the probability of cancer spreading, all I can tell you though is that I had 26 lymph nodes removed of which 23 were affected. My oncologist also gave me chemo and radio theraphy,
    that was 61/2 years ago I have been told that I have the all clear now. All I can tell you is just be positive because this is half the battle as well. Wish you well for the future.

    Bless you for sharing your
    Bless you for sharing your story! xoxoxo Lynn
  • Katz77
    Katz77 Member Posts: 598
    #15
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    My story
    Hello,My name is Gayla ( sounds like a AA meeting lol) I had a 5.3cm x 3.5cm brst tumor and had 20 nodes taken in which 18 were positve. All brst tumor margins were clear. My rad doc said the nodes weren't tumors they were " sprinked " with ca cells. Now I meet him only weeks after my mast., so I was still in shock and awe. ( glad Bush came up with that.)
    I've never thiugh any more about the sprinkling till I read ur post. I just completed the last of chemo cocktails and will be seeing him soon. Think I shall ask.
    According to the date on ur post, you've probly had ur answer to ur questions. Let me know, cause I curious now. I do know the lymphatic system is all through our bodies and that means the ca cells also can travel the circuit. Well I can't sleep and I get babblies. Let me know what ur guy said. It would be nice to hear. Smiles Katz
  • blazytracy
    blazytracy Member Posts: 157
    #16
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    Lymph23 said:

    Lymph nodes
    Hi just read about you finding out you had 11 lymph nodes affected. Can't say about the probability of cancer spreading, all I can tell you though is that I had 26 lymph nodes removed of which 23 were affected. My oncologist also gave me chemo and radio theraphy,
    that was 61/2 years ago I have been told that I have the all clear now. All I can tell you is just be positive because this is half the battle as well. Wish you well for the future.

    Thank You!
    Just read your note..thank you for sharing.. it gives me hope.
  • blazytracy
    blazytracy Member Posts: 157
    #17
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    Katz77 said:

    My story
    Hello,My name is Gayla ( sounds like a AA meeting lol) I had a 5.3cm x 3.5cm brst tumor and had 20 nodes taken in which 18 were positve. All brst tumor margins were clear. My rad doc said the nodes weren't tumors they were " sprinked " with ca cells. Now I meet him only weeks after my mast., so I was still in shock and awe. ( glad Bush came up with that.)
    I've never thiugh any more about the sprinkling till I read ur post. I just completed the last of chemo cocktails and will be seeing him soon. Think I shall ask.
    According to the date on ur post, you've probly had ur answer to ur questions. Let me know, cause I curious now. I do know the lymphatic system is all through our bodies and that means the ca cells also can travel the circuit. Well I can't sleep and I get babblies. Let me know what ur guy said. It would be nice to hear. Smiles Katz

    hi katz
    No, i have never found out the probability of recurring yet or prognosis. sorry. I start chemo the first week in Nov. and am really scared.
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    #18
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    tasha_111 said:

    Tracy
    Firstly, I have to say I want to adopt that gorgeous dog ( I lost my beloved German Shepherd last month) I went into surgery expecting no lymph node removal........he took them all. Oh well, I guess it was for the best, I just wish they would tell us some of the facts before we learned them for ourselves.
    Anyway, good luck with everything, It's often a suprise what they come up with... Hell My Mammogram showed nothing...It was over 7cm and visible. I am glad you have found this room, sorry I am not participating much at the moment, I have problems too. And I am revelling in being a miserable sod.

    Hugs Jxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    Tasha
    you have never been or will ever be a miserable sod!! You are so uplifting and sweet, I spent many hours looking for your funny and sweet posts, you have helped us all to laugh and have fun and I love you dearly!
  • meena1
    meena1 Member Posts: 1,003
    #19
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    Katz77 said:

    My story
    Hello,My name is Gayla ( sounds like a AA meeting lol) I had a 5.3cm x 3.5cm brst tumor and had 20 nodes taken in which 18 were positve. All brst tumor margins were clear. My rad doc said the nodes weren't tumors they were " sprinked " with ca cells. Now I meet him only weeks after my mast., so I was still in shock and awe. ( glad Bush came up with that.)
    I've never thiugh any more about the sprinkling till I read ur post. I just completed the last of chemo cocktails and will be seeing him soon. Think I shall ask.
    According to the date on ur post, you've probly had ur answer to ur questions. Let me know, cause I curious now. I do know the lymphatic system is all through our bodies and that means the ca cells also can travel the circuit. Well I can't sleep and I get babblies. Let me know what ur guy said. It would be nice to hear. Smiles Katz

    I always think it sounds
    I always think it sounds like an AA meeting also, Hi my name is whatever, and I have breast cancer...i had 11 nodes removed, 5 were cancerous, my oncologist told me that was good. you are right, cancer cells can travel through your lymphatic system. I will have to ask more questions about this, thanks for the post.
  • 6673162
    6673162 Member Posts: 1
    #20
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    11 lymph nodes with cancer
    I had my right breast removed on November 24th and cancer was found in 11 of my lymph nodes and they were removed too - On the initial ultra-sound scan before surgery it showed that only 2 lymph nodes appeared to be "infected" but once they got in there another 9 were cancerous. My oncologist again suggested that I have chemotherapy and radiation - I am taking anti-hormone medication and I am starting radiation in January. I declined chemotherapy - With the medication and radiation there is a 75-80% chance that I will make a full recovery - with chemo that goes up to 85%. 4 years ago my friend had a double mastectomy - she did the radiation only - no meds and no chemo - She is still cancer-free - cautious - but cancer free - God bless - have a great Christmas - Stay strong -
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #21
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    6673162 said:

    11 lymph nodes with cancer
    I had my right breast removed on November 24th and cancer was found in 11 of my lymph nodes and they were removed too - On the initial ultra-sound scan before surgery it showed that only 2 lymph nodes appeared to be "infected" but once they got in there another 9 were cancerous. My oncologist again suggested that I have chemotherapy and radiation - I am taking anti-hormone medication and I am starting radiation in January. I declined chemotherapy - With the medication and radiation there is a 75-80% chance that I will make a full recovery - with chemo that goes up to 85%. 4 years ago my friend had a double mastectomy - she did the radiation only - no meds and no chemo - She is still cancer-free - cautious - but cancer free - God bless - have a great Christmas - Stay strong -

    Personally...
    I would rethink the chemo....with 11 positive nodes....I, personally, wouldn't want any regrets down the road...chemo is no day at the beach but is very doable....nothing like years past....did your oncologist recommend chemo?

    Your friend's cancer may be totally different than yours...there are so many differences between us all with breast cancer...so glad your friend Is doing well...

    Wishing you the best and Merry Christmas....

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