Cute31892015 posted for her sister

Hi, my tumour was almost 4cm on my left brast and the treatment started with chemo (16 rounds) to reduce the size. It does shrink it and if your sister is lucky enough she may just need lumpectomy. 
The reason i say that is that is how mine was and i was so happy about the outcome, until pathology  was done during the op with results  caming back with more canxxx. I also had 13 lymph nodes removed, 8 of which was also affected. 
Since than, I've  had mastectomy  with no reconstruction and I'm  doing well with Radiation to commence once healed.
Drs will know what action to take, and that's  all we can do.
Goodluck to your sister...xxx

HI @cute31892015, doing chemo before surgery (known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy) seems to be more common these days and the main aim is to shrink the tumour in the breast (particularly if it's a larger one) and to try and kill off any other cancer cells lurking around (as Brenda said). You might like to show Emelia this page from BCNA about this type of chemotherapy: https://www.bcna.org.au/understanding-breast-cancer/treatment/neoadjuvant-chemotherapy/

Hopefully the information will help your sister understand the specialist's thinking, but it is important that she asks questions to try and understand why they have suggested neoadjuvant chemotherapy. You can also look at getting a second opinion if she doesn't feel her questions are being answered. 

I wish Emelia all the best with her treatment and want to let her know that even with larger tumours, many of us can still be here years later. Hugs, Jane xx

@cute31892015 I would say its not just the tumor they want to shrink first, its all the little hair sized feelers of the tumor which could be spread out beyond the breast even. Best to do chemo and make it pull its feelers and head in a bit so the surgeons can get nice clear margins during surgery.