to those who had chemo before lumpectomy

laurissa
laurissa Member Posts: 773
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My chemo is finished and I just had my follow-up petscan showing no spots whatsoever. My 4.4 cm tumor is gone and spot on hip is gone. Is this common? My surgeon is amazed and said it was a miracle that it's gone. Anyone else have these kind of results?

Comments

  • Sam726
    Sam726 Member Posts: 233
    Hey Laurissa
    My tumor shrank in half...only had one. Then I had a lumpectomy....Do you still need surgery? Great news though...thats awesome to hear!! You go girl...
  • laurissa
    laurissa Member Posts: 773
    Hi, Sam
    Yes, I still have to have a lumpectomy and radiation. Even with good news, I'm still nervous and worried.
  • Cat64
    Cat64 Member Posts: 1,192
    Laurissa
    That is awesome news!! Congrats on finishing Chemo! Mine didn't disappear, but did shrink down quite a bit. My surgeon was amazed too after only 2 treatments. Makes all we went through with Chemo well worth it doesn't it? I'm so happy for you! So what's your next step?
    Hugz,
    Cathy
  • laurissa
    laurissa Member Posts: 773
    Hi, Cat
    Next step is another mammo, ultrasound and MRI all this week, then lumpectomy and radiation. I'm feeling better since the chemo is done.
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    Awesome!
    WOW! That's AWESOME news, Laurissa!! It makes it ALL worth it! So I'm just curious... what do they do in the lumpectomy if the tumor is gone?

    Hugs, Mar
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    Great that chemo shrunk it
    Great that chemo shrunk it and the tumor is gone!

    I don't understand though what they'll be doing surgery on, as in a lumpectomy, if there's no tumor. The radiation I understand.
  • laurissa
    laurissa Member Posts: 773
    it confuses me
    Surgeon says they go in and take out the area that was affected. I also had lymph nodes involved.
  • Sam726
    Sam726 Member Posts: 233
    laurissa said:

    it confuses me
    Surgeon says they go in and take out the area that was affected. I also had lymph nodes involved.

    lump/rads
    I think after the chemo..u will find the lumpectomy a walk in the park. I just started rads friday. Ill let you know how it goes. Good luck!
  • Cat64
    Cat64 Member Posts: 1,192
    laurissa said:

    it confuses me
    Surgeon says they go in and take out the area that was affected. I also had lymph nodes involved.

    Sounds
    like the surgeon will be clearing the margins around where the tumor was. So will you be having a Sentinal Node Biopsy also or will he just remove however many he feels were affected? Do you have a date set yet? Sam's right, the Lumpectomy is sooooo much easier than the Chemo experience! In the meantime, rest up and keep your eyes on the finish line-you are almost there!
    Hugz,
    Cathy
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    Sam726 said:

    lump/rads
    I think after the chemo..u will find the lumpectomy a walk in the park. I just started rads friday. Ill let you know how it goes. Good luck!

    Laurissa
    Great news, especially that the hip is clear!!!. I am really happy for you. Good luck with tests this week
    New Flower
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member

    Laurissa
    Great news, especially that the hip is clear!!!. I am really happy for you. Good luck with tests this week
    New Flower

    Wonderful news Laurissa!
    Wonderful news Laurissa! Good luck!
  • Sunrae
    Sunrae Member Posts: 808
    Cat64 said:

    Sounds
    like the surgeon will be clearing the margins around where the tumor was. So will you be having a Sentinal Node Biopsy also or will he just remove however many he feels were affected? Do you have a date set yet? Sam's right, the Lumpectomy is sooooo much easier than the Chemo experience! In the meantime, rest up and keep your eyes on the finish line-you are almost there!
    Hugz,
    Cathy

    Hi Laurissa,
    What great news

    Hi Laurissa,
    What great news to hear. Hoping all the tests will show the improvement too. My tumors were reduced somewhat on the Femara and my onc thought I would only have a lumpectomy. After I had an 3D ultrasound, it showed the small tumor is almost gone with some reduction in the other 2. The surgeon said I will still have to have the masectomy with radiation because the tumors are scattered around and I have bc in my lymph nodes. We do what we have to do to make sure cancer is gone. Let us know how your tests come out and when the surgery is scheduled. Hugs and prayers for you.
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    Awesome news, laurissa!
    Heartfelt congratulations to you!

    Makes the difficulty of chemo so well worth it, indeed.

    Kind regards, Susan
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    Complete Pathologic Response!
    That's what you got with chemo, Laurissa, CPR for short. And, yep, that's spectacular results and gives you an excellent prognosis. Wow. I hope you will be celebrating because you sure have a great reason!