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CarrieP's avatar
CarrieP
Member
5 years ago

first appt

Hi everyone, well I had my first appt at the hospital today with the breast surgeon, was very anxious as did not know what to expect, was really under the impression that surgery would be my first point and then radiation or chemo.

Surgeon had reviewed my pathology results from when I had a core biopsy and they have said I have triple negative breast cancer, stage 1 as the tumor is still less than 2cm (well it was when I had my ultrasound 2 weeks ago) really don't know how fast these things grow.

they have advised due to my age (40) and it being TNBC that chemo is the first stage and then surgery, but it is my call - would really love some advice on this as was fully preparing myself to have surgery.

still anxious as reading online that TNBC is quite aggressive and higher chance of recurrence.

I am trying to stay positive and now waiting for my bone scan in a week and should be seeing the oncologist to plan out my chemo plan, sorry if I am missing up in the terminology or abbreviations still trying to get my head around all the different types x

new-diagnosis
treatment-decisions
  • CarrieP's avatar
    CarrieP
    Member
    5 years ago
    Thanks so much AllyJay, that was my first thought aswell, I just want this gone.
    your story has set my mind at ease a little x

  • AllyJay's avatar
    AllyJay
    Member
    5 years ago
    I was also told to have the chemo first and the surgery after. My initial instinct was to chop it off...now...yesterday preferably. To be frank, I thought that as a public patient, their lists were probably booked up, and that they were just tossing me a bone to keep me busy until a slot came up. Wrong.It was explained to me that the cancer in my breast itself would not kill me, but that any cells which might have set sail to distant parts very well might. The neoadjuvant chemo (chemo before surgery rather than after) would deal with any such feral cells and also, it would shrink the tumour in my breast before surgery. Also, the pathology reports from the removed breasts (I had both off), would tell the team how well the chemo had worked. The result of my pathology from tyhe surgery was that there had been a 100% pathalogical response to the chemo, and that only the empty tumour beds were found, even in the one affected axillary (armpit) node. Good luck with your treatment.