Sentinel node biopsy

Pommy8 said:

@StrongCoffee thank you replying  how you doing tamoxifen?

In the scheme of things, I don't think the side effects for me are too bad. However everyone reacts differently and I even react slightly differently on different brands.

Hi @ARitchie
Thats a pretty good pathology result all things considered.
I was grade 2 clear lymph nodes ER and PR positive with a low ki 67 score and similarly was told no need for chemo only radiotherapy plus hormone therapy for at least 5 years - I am post menopausal so am just on
AIs.
I did have a friend diagnosed just after me and she was stage 1 and had a very small tumour compared to mine and she refused the hormone therapy only had radiotherapy.
I was initially jealous that her lump was so much smaller than mine but then realised comparisons can just cause distress at times so just try to celebrate the good things in this journey they call breast cancer.
All the best with your radiotherapy - everyone reacts differently but compared to chemotherapy it’s a much lesser impact.

Hi @Pommy8. I am turning 43 and was diagnosed on 26/04 this year from a routine mammogram/ ultrasound check. I had my surgery in May and will be starting my radiation treatment next Wednesday. My pathology results showed that I am Stage 1,  ER+, PR+ and HER -, cancer cell removed was 9mm intermediate DCIS, grade 2, clear sentinel lymph nodes and my ki -67 score is 12%. I have been advised by my oncologist that I won't need chemotherapy but will require 15 rounds of radiotherapy and be on hormone blocker Tamoxifen for 5 years or possibly 10 years. 
Hopefully you will get your pathology results soon and have a clear treatment plan. All the best! 

@StrongCoffee thank you replying  how you doing tamoxifen?

For reference, this is the details on the test I had done. It is done using tumour removed during surgery and can't be ordered until all of that initial pathology (confirming grade, size and type) is returned. Despite being cheaper than the Oncotype test, EndoPredict data shows if anything it has better accuracy at determining low risk where chemo would not be of benefit.

https://www.clinicallabs.com.au/endopredict/

I was advised not to have radiotherapy, as I opted for a mastectomy rather than lumpectomy and my sentinel nodes were clear. Initially, they said they didn't expect I would need chemo, however the invasive ductal carcinoma was much larger than the DCIS area indicated on the mamogram. Plus, at 45 (now 46) I am considered young, so their treatment advice is also influenced by the fact that they want me to get another 40+ years yet.
My Ki67 was low, an initial indicator that chemo may not be effective/necessary. So I was recommended for oncotype testing (EndoPredict) and had that done at a cost of $3k. This test is only recommended if you meet certain criteria regarding tumour size, type and lymph node involvement.
The tests came back showing that chemo would make very little difference to my expected outcomes and chemo was not advised as necessary.
However chemo was still an option, for the tiny % difference it would make, so technically I did opt out of chemo.
I intend to be on tamoxifen for 5 years/until menopause and then an AI until the 10 year mark unless newer research indicates a better option.
Best of luck with your sentinel node biopsy, I hope they come back clear!

Hi it’s hard as everyone is different.
I had a large (5.5cm) lobular cancer which had not spread to my lymph nodes.
I was told chemo not required but radiation therapy was recommended so I followed that advice.
I am now on hormone therapy ( for the past 18 months).
All the best with your treatment.🌺

Hi @Pommy8 and I am sorry you are going through this and find yourself here. You will be able to find a lot of really helpful information here. When I joined here, I knew very little, but everyone here was so generous with their knowledge and support.