Stages of Cancer ... just found out ... what does this really mean?
I suddenly feel like I have just been newly diagnosed again. Since original diagnosis in June I was told I had 'early cancer' - ER neg, PR neg and HER2 pos, grade three. Had the lumpectomy and all l...
It still is early cancer. Mine remained stage 1 by 1mm. Really would 1 mm make that much difference?
Same as the little calculator thing they use. It's a choice...found by mammogram or found by symptoms. For the same pathology it gave diff odds. Now here's where it's tricky. 5 weeks before I found a lump, my mammogram was clear...why? Because hidden by dense breast tissue. Would there really be much difference if it was visible. Unlikely. ..except the calculator choice would be different.
So in reality don't let yourself get caught up by the stage. My niece had a tumour so small it could not be found until the breast was removed. However she had 20 nodes removed and 10 were positive. That makes her stage 3. She was her2 + and was on herceptin clinical trials. 15 years on she remains cancer free.
Stage 2 is broken up into 2 categories then its broken up further as early or late. ..but none of those differences mean it's not curable.
These are actual statisitics of any breast cancer treated in Australia . Photo taken at the BCNA forum this year.
I get it. I can remember becoming terrified when I read my Ki67 rate after someone asked me and I checked my pathology. It was really high. But that's the nature of her2+ cancer...why they are grade3 and also why they respond well to chemo and herceptin. So have faith. You have had gold standard treatment and have every reason to believe you will have a long full life. Kath x
