2nd round of treatment after tonsil cancer

sunshine_64
sunshine_64 Member Posts: 50
in Breast Cancer #1

Hi All--Welcome me as a newcomer to breast cancer but an old-timer with tonsil cancer (T1 metastasized to both sides, treatment ended in June 2012). Thought I was done with radiation & chemo and all but no such luck. Today they found and biopsied a 5mm spiculated mass. Might or might not be related to the original cancer (which could either be recurrence or related to radiation treatment). Not sure if biopsy will be able to tell that, but it is concerning. Any advice for me will be greatly appreciated. I have a milion questions - did you have mouth sores? what's your view on immediate reconstruction following surgery? just for starters. I will have more. Sorry to be here (again) but very much glad to have you all with me.

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  • button2
    button2 Member Posts: 421
    edited February 2017 #2
    Welcome Sunshine

    So sorry to hear you are facing a cancer diagnosis again. I can understand you having a zillion questions. Tack a list on the refrigerator and jot down any questions you have to take with you to your next doctor appointment. Are you getting a full mastectomy? I got skin sparing surgery so I could decide later about reconstruction. I had advanced cancer so I just wanted to save my life and not mess around with expanders and further surgeries. Almost five years out now, I have decided to stay flat. Yes I had mouth sores, but who knows what side effects you may have. It all depends on whether you get chemo again and which drug they'll use. Wait until the biopsy and I'm sure your doctors will know more. Wishing you best of luck! Hugs, Anna

  • sunshine_64
    sunshine_64 Member Posts: 50
    #3
    anyone know what "focally suspicious" indicates?

    I received my biopsy results (not information on markers yet) but the results are:

    "IDC (Intraductal Carninoma) with associated DCIS. Also

    Lymphovascular Invasion: Focally suspicious"

     

    This last phrase seems pretty scary--it suggests that the cancer has metastasized.

    I will see a surgeon tomorrow--do you know if I would have a sentinel node biopsy tomorrow or

    do they do this along with the mastectomy (not sure that is happening yet either). I expect surgery,

    radiation and chemo. Any thoughts on immediate versus later reconstruction? Thanks!

  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #4
    ☀️ Sunshine

    what did your doctor have to say ?  Any updates ?

  • sunshine_64
    sunshine_64 Member Posts: 50
    edited February 2017 #5
    surgeon's response

    Saw my surgeon (chair of the BC dept) yesterday, who did not seem to think this phrase meant very much, but did really explain what it meant. She seemed to think that the small size (5mm) and lack of clinical evidence for metastasis were more important. Surgery has not been scheduled (waiting is just awful), but they will do a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy at the same time (on the same day), and she expected to take 2-3 nodes out. So, more waiting for the results after those procedures are done. I am stage 1, HER negative (+1), with a ki67 proliferation rate of 1-5%.

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