Hi there, I’m a newbie here, great to meet you all. Can anyone shed some light, had a mastectomy 12 days ago and 4 SN lymph nodes taken out. Results came back 3 clear 1 has a 3mm deposit...should I be writing my will? I’m 46 Yrs old. Thanks folks and Merry Christmas 🎄

I haven’t thought about writing my will and I had 8 nodes positive, 3 of them had metastatic growths. I figure that’s what chemo is for. My aunt had 8 positive the same as mine 13 years ago and is perfectly well with no recurrence. Some people have a recurrence with no positive nodes so I think it’s the luck of the draw. I was panicked to start with, my tumours (2) were small and I feel ripped off that it was already in my nodes when others have huge tumours that didn’t progress at all to their nodes. But, that’s life. I have had one chemo treatment, 15 to go, radiation and then tamoxifen and then fingers crossed. If we spend our time worrying about dying we aren’t really living 😊

Hi @ Bluebell 5 Hi there . Wishing you all the very best. Perfectly understandable that you are worried . While I will never be complacent I am now 22 years post breast cancer with no recurrence . My initial diagnosis at age 39 was of multi focal lobular carcinoma with 14 lymph nodes positive . Every time the Drs said I was high risk of recurrence it fired me up to beat the cancer and prove them wrong. My treatment back in 1997 was mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, oophorectomy, tamoxifen then Femara.Try and stay positive, don't be afraid to ask questions and best wishes. xoxoxo

The peculiar thing about BC @Bluebell5 is that ultimately it's a lottery and they just don't know why. But statistically speaking, 91% will still be truckin' five years after diagnosis. So no, don't write your will just yet.My mother was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer at 51, and it was in in lymphatic system. That was 1986. She still here driving me potty at 85!I think it's impossible to truly relax with a cancer diagnosis, but don't panic if you can help it. Take care, and I hope you have a happy Christmas. K xox 🎅 🎄 🎁 😙

I had a total of 24 lymph nodes removed, 23 had cancer in them even after chemo, that was in 2015 it's now 2019 and I have mets, under control, i try being as positive as I can be all the time, yes I have odd times where I go down, but not for long, my 1st goal is to reach my 70th birthday in 2029,then I'll go from there for 2nd goal one goal at a time 😀😀

Sorry to see you here on Xmas Day, @Bluebell5 - but welcome to the blog! (And please DON'T use Dr Google!! Everyone's case is very individual & so much info that pops up on Dr Google is 10-20 years old & totally obsolete to modern doctoring!) . It is also often WRONG!Try not to overthink it all (difficult tho it is ...) as your onc will be the one to guide you thru the maze.Take care, enjoy the Xmas break - keeping yourself busy with family & friends ..... and no need to rush into doing that will, I reckon! xxx

Lymph nodes | Online Network

Afraser
Member
6 years ago
Only as a useful thing for anyone to do, not out of urgency! I had 8 or 9 very enlarged nodes, and biopsy before surgery indicated at least one was malignant. 17 went, quite right too, but the only one affected was the biopsied one. I am seven years post diagnosis and fine. Your oncologist will take that node into consideration for post surgery treatment. Right now recover, relax and enjoy Christmas. Best wishes.
arpie
Member
6 years ago
Sorry to see you here on Xmas Day, @Bluebell5 - but welcome to the blog! (And please DON'T use Dr Google!! Everyone's case is very individual & so much info that pops up on Dr Google is 10-20 years old & totally obsolete to modern doctoring!) . It is also often WRONG!

Try not to overthink it all (difficult tho it is ...) as your onc will be the one to guide you thru the maze.

Take care, enjoy the Xmas break - keeping yourself busy with family & friends ..... and no need to rush into doing that will, I reckon! xxx
Blossom1961
Member
6 years ago
Hi @Bluebell5 As Afraser says, no need for urgency on the will. I had two node involvement,they removed the lot. That was November 2018 and I am still cancer free. Relax, enjoy Christmas knowing the little sucker is out. Your team will have put in place the next step. Big hugs. Christmas time can be very stressful but add BC into the mix and it goes off the charts. Get some rest if you can and it will be easier to manage the chaos.
kmakm
Member
6 years ago
The peculiar thing about BC @Bluebell5 is that ultimately it's a lottery and they just don't know why. But statistically speaking, 91% will still be truckin' five years after diagnosis. So no, don't write your will just yet.

My mother was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer at 51, and it was in in lymphatic system. That was 1986. She still here driving me potty at 85!

I think it's impossible to truly relax with a cancer diagnosis, but don't panic if you can help it. Take care, and I hope you have a happy Christmas. K xox 🎅 🎄 🎁 😙
ddon
Member
6 years ago
I haven’t thought about writing my will and I had 8 nodes positive, 3 of them had metastatic growths. I figure that’s what chemo is for. My aunt had 8 positive the same as mine 13 years ago and is perfectly well with no recurrence. Some people have a recurrence with no positive nodes so I think it’s the luck of the draw.
I was panicked to start with, my tumours (2) were small and I feel ripped off that it was already in my nodes when others have huge tumours that didn’t progress at all to their nodes. But, that’s life. I have had one chemo treatment, 15 to go, radiation and then tamoxifen and then fingers crossed.
If we spend our time worrying about dying we aren’t really living 😊
kezmusc
Member
6 years ago
Hi @Bluebell5,

Welcome lovely. I was 45 at diagnosis with a smallish 19mm breast tumour, a 25mm one in one node. There ended up being 5 positive out of the 24 removed. Surgery, chemo, rads, hormone therapy and still here 3 years later.
You get a huge mortality shock that comes standard with this thing. Your brain starts planning the worst case scenario it can think of for goodness knows what reason but it happens to most of us.

All the best and Merry xmas lovely.
xoxoxoxo
Cazamcm
Member
6 years ago
Hi @ Bluebell 5

Hi there . Wishing you all the very best. Perfectly understandable that you are worried . While I will never be complacent I am now 22 years post breast cancer with no recurrence . My initial diagnosis at age 39 was of multi focal lobular carcinoma with 14 lymph nodes positive . Every time the Drs said I was high risk of recurrence it fired me up to beat the cancer and prove them wrong.

My treatment back in 1997 was mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, oophorectomy, tamoxifen then Femara.

Try and stay positive, don't be afraid to ask questions and best wishes.

xoxoxo
Glynnis
Member
6 years ago
I had a total of 24 lymph nodes removed, 23 had cancer in them even after chemo, that was in 2015 it's now 2019 and I have mets, under control, i try being as positive as I can be all the time, yes I have odd times where I go down, but not for long, my 1st goal is to reach my 70th birthday in 2029,then I'll go from there for 2nd goal one goal at a time 😀😀
Caz1
Member
6 years ago
Hi @kezmusc, so was that all off your nodes out? Did you have any side effects ie lymphadenopathy?
Planning my surgery now..sorry if I’ve asked you this but I’ve got seriously bad chemo brain!
Cazxx
Afraser
Member
6 years ago
You may have about 100 lymph nodes around the arm area, which is why there is no certainty about lymphoedema - your body may cope with losing 25 or may not with losing a smaller number. Bit of another lottery. It seems (my observation only) that losing 5 or less is unlikely to have much effect but more gets into the uncertain area. On the other hand, leaving iffy ones in place is not such a good idea!