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08-19-2009, 09:29 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 510
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My preliminary pathology report
Thank you all for your support, prayers, and positive thoughts last week as I had my surgery after months of neo-adjuvant chemo.
I had an appt with my oncologist yesterday to get my 2nd dose of Herceptin (went really well this time, with no side effects) and was able to get some preliminary results on the pathology of my tumor.
The good news is that chemo completely obliterated the tumor in the breast tissue. There was no invasive cancer left in the breast, woo hoo!
The bad news is that they found extensive lymphatic invasion in the lymphatic vessels of the breast. The surgeon removed 13 nodes, and apparently 10 out of the 13 had some signs of being positive at some point. The final pathology will determine the status of the lymph nodes at surgery.
I've always heard that lymphatic presence is one of those bad prognostic factors, but I'll try to focus on the positive and hope that aggressive radiation will do its magic and kill any remaining cells. I'll update the board with further news when the final pathology report is released.
Apparently, the lymphatic vessels on my breast were completely clogged and not draining anything - the radioactive dye inserted the day before surgery, for example, did not even flow to the lymph nodes. Because they were so clogged, the chemo drugs probably had a hard time reaching them. Hopefully that means that nothing was draining out of them to the rest of my body either.
__________________
ER+ (30%)/PR-/HER-2+, stage 3
Diagnosed on 02/18/09 at 38 with a huge 12x10 cm tumor, after a 6 month delay. Told I was too young and had no risk factors. Found swollen node during breastfeeding.
March-August 09: neo-adjuvant chemo, part of a trial at Stanford (4 DD A/C, 4 Taxotere with daily Tykerb), loading dose of Herceptin
08/12/09 - bye bye boobies (bilateral mastectomy)
08/24/09 - path report shows 100 % success in breast tissue (no cancer there, yay!), 98 % success in lymphatic invasion, and even though 11/13 nodes were still positive, > 95 % of the tumor in them was killed. Hoping for the best!
September-October 09: rads with daily Xeloda
02/25/10 - Cholecystectomy
05/27/10 - Bone scan clear
06/14/10 - CT scan clear, ovarian cyst found
07/27/10 - Done with Herceptin!
02/15/11 - MVA-BN HER-2 vaccine trial
03/15/11 - First CA 15-3: 12.7 and normal, yay!
10/01/11 - Bone scan and CT scan clear, fatty liver found
now on Tamoxifen and Aspirin
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08-19-2009, 11:16 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Haarlem, the Netherlands
Posts: 835
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Re: My preliminary pathology report
I'm glad there was no cancer in your breast tissue, and I hope that those clogged lymphatic vessels are caused by the chemo, effectively killing off any residual cancer cells.
Anyway, you were a given a chemo regimen that's highly effective. May this be the last you hear about cancercells in your body!
Now start healing, you hear!
Love
Jacqueline
__________________
Diagnosed age 44, January 2004, 0.7 cm IDC & DCIS. Stage 1, grade 3, ER/PR pos. HER2 pos. clear margins, no nodes. SNB. 35 rads. On Zoladex and Armidex since Dec. 2004. Stopped Zoladex/Arimidex sept 2009 Still taking mistletoe shots (CAM therapy) Doing fine.
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08-19-2009, 02:53 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Naples FL
Posts: 1,744
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Re: My preliminary pathology report
Sounds like you are on the right path...and that is good news about the tumor being obliterated! Maybe the clogged lymph vessels were clogged with DEAD cancer cells!!!xo Suzan
__________________
 Suzan W.
age 54 at diagnosis
5/05 suspicious mammogram-left breast
5/05 biopsy-invasive lobular carcinoma with LCIS,8mm tumor,stage 1 grade 2, ER+ PR+ Her2+++
6/14/05 bilateral mastectomy, node neg. all scans neg.
Oncotype DX-high risk
8/05-10/05 4 rounds A/C
10/05 -10/06 1 yr. herceptin
arimidex-5 years
2/14/08 started daily self administered injections..FORTEO for severe osteoporosis
7/28/09 BRCA 1 negative BRCA2 POSITIVE
8/17/09 prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy
10/15/10 last FORTEOinjection
RECLAST infusion(ostoeporosis)
6/14/10 5 year cancerversary!
8/2010-18%increase in bone density!
no further treatments
Oncologist says, "Go do the Happy Dance"
I say,"What a long strange trip its been"
'One day at a time'
6-14-2015. 10 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!
7-16 to 9-16. Extensive (and expensive) dental work done to save teeth. Damage from osteoporosis and chemo and long term bisphosphonate use
6-14-16. 11 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
7-20-16 Prolia injection for severe osteoporosis
2 days later, massive hive outbreak. This led to an eventual dx of Chronic Ideopathic Urticaria, an auto-immune disease from HELL.
6-14-17 12 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
still suffering from CIU. 4 hospitilizations in the past year
as of today, 10-31-17 in remission from CIU and still, CANCER FREE!!!
6-14-18 13 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!! NED!!
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08-19-2009, 03:54 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life!
Posts: 2,005
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Re: My preliminary pathology report
There are members of this board who were stage III at diagnosis and remain NED years later. You have had what appears to be a wonderful response to the chemo. Now let the radiation and tykerb get any lingering cancer cells! Hang in there!
__________________
Smile On!
Laurel
Dx'd w/multifocal DCIS/IDS 3/08
7mm invasive component
Partial mast. 5/08
Stage 1b, ER 80%, PR 90%, HER-2 6.9 on FISH
0/5 nodes
4 AC, 4 TH finished 9/08
Herceptin every 3 weeks. Finished 7/09
Tamoxifen 10/08. Switched to Femara 8/09
Bilat SPM w/reconstruction 10/08
Clinical Trial w/Clondronate 12/08
Stopped Clondronate--too hard on my gizzard!
Switched back to Tamoxifen due to tendon pain from Femara
15 Years NED
I think I just might hang around awhile....
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08-20-2009, 09:42 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 143
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Re: My preliminary pathology report
Dear Bejuce:
I just wanted you to know -- I had neo adjuvant chemo and was still stage 3 after all my chemo. Then I had surgery, rads, herceptin. That was four and half years ago and I'm doing great!
Good luck
Linda
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08-20-2009, 08:47 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life!
Posts: 2,005
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Re: My preliminary pathology report
Hope you are doing well. There's an awful lot of life left for you to live, I just feel it!
__________________
Smile On!
Laurel
Dx'd w/multifocal DCIS/IDS 3/08
7mm invasive component
Partial mast. 5/08
Stage 1b, ER 80%, PR 90%, HER-2 6.9 on FISH
0/5 nodes
4 AC, 4 TH finished 9/08
Herceptin every 3 weeks. Finished 7/09
Tamoxifen 10/08. Switched to Femara 8/09
Bilat SPM w/reconstruction 10/08
Clinical Trial w/Clondronate 12/08
Stopped Clondronate--too hard on my gizzard!
Switched back to Tamoxifen due to tendon pain from Femara
15 Years NED
I think I just might hang around awhile....
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08-21-2009, 10:43 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,851
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Re: My preliminary pathology report
It's great there was no tumor left in your breast, so it seems the chemo got in there to do its job.
Joan
__________________
Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2023 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!
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08-21-2009, 07:51 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: san luis obispo, ca
Posts: 1,150
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Re: My preliminary pathology report
Good news that there's no tumor in that breast. Hang in there, sister. Sending you love and healing energy right now.
__________________
Love and Hugs, Vickie
Life's not about waiting for the storm to pass,
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
Feb 04 IBC IIIC/IV er-/pr- her2+++
3/04 TCH X4
7/ 04 MRM 9/04 Taxol/herceptin wkly 1 yr 33X rads
11/04 skin mets 33x rads,10/05 Avast/Herc. 11 mos.
8/ 06 PET mets lymphs, neck
9/ 06 Navelbine/herceptin
11/ 06 PET NED
2/ 07 skin mets, 4/07 Xeloda, 5/07 add Tykerb
2/ 08 Tykerb failed. Doxil /Herceptin 6 months
8/08 PET skin mets, 8/08 Abraxane/Avastin
11/ 08 PET prog., skin mets
1/09 PET/CT progress, 1/09 Ixempra, 2/09 add Xeloda and low dose Naltrexone
2/09 off Ixempra/Xeloda
3/09 navelbine/herc/cytoxin 4/09 PET shows regress.7/09 start Topotecan. Failed.
8/09 extensive mets rgt brst, back and torso. starting Pazopanib clinical trial.
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08-21-2009, 08:01 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
Posts: 5,808
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Re: My preliminary pathology report
What wonderful news! So happy for you.
I happened to have read one of our members treatment history today. Couldn't remember who, but she had 21/21 lymph nodes involvement and she's been doing fine. And if the cancer cells in the breast had responded to the chemo, it's just a matter of time for it to reach the lymph nodes - now that they are out, you don't even have to be worried about them. Whatever residue cells left in your body, Herceptin is going to take care of them - since you've had good response in the breast area already.
Keep the faith. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
__________________
Jackie07
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/06/doctors-letter-patient-newly-diagnosed-cancer.html
http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/MultiMedi...=114&trackID=2
NICU 4.4 LB
Erythema Nodosum 85
Life-long Central Neurocytoma 4x5x6.5 cm 23 hrs 62090 semi-coma 10 d PT OT ST 30 d
3 Infertility tmts 99 > 3 u. fibroids > Pills
CN 3 GKRS 52301
IDC 1.2 cm Her2 +++ ER 5% R. Lmptmy SLNB+1 71703 6 FEC 33 R Tamoxifen
Recc IIB 2.5 cm Bi-L Mast 61407 2/9 nds PET
6 TCH Cellulitis - Lymphedema - compression sleeve & glove
H w x 4 MUGA 51 D, J 49 M
Diastasis recti
Tamoxifen B. scan
Irrtbl bowel 1'09
Colonoscopy 313
BRCA1 V1247I
hptc hemangioma
Vertigo
GI - > yogurt
hysterectomy/oophorectomy 011410
Exemestane 25 mg tab 102912 ~ 101016 stopped due to r. hip/l.thigh pain after long walk
DEXA 1/13
1-2016 lesions in liver largest 9mm & 1.3 cm onco. says not cancer.
3-11 Appendectomy - visually O.K., a lot of puss. Final path result - not cancer.
Start Vitamin D3 and Calcium supplement （600mg x2)
10-10 Stopped Exemestane due to r. hip/l.thigh pain OKed by Onco 11-08-2016
7-23-2018 9 mm groundglass nodule within the right lower lobe with indolent behavior. Due to possible adenocarcinoma, Recommend annual surveilence.
7-10-2019 CT to check lung nodule.
1-10-2020 8mm stable nodule on R Lung, two 6mm new ones on L Lung, a possible lymph node involvement in inter fissule.
"I WANT TO BE AN OUTRAGEOUS OLD WOMAN WHO NEVER GETS CALLED AN OLD LADY. I WANT TO GET SHARP EDGED & EARTH COLORED, TILL I FADE AWAY FROM PURE JOY." Irene from Tampa
Advocacy is a passion .. not a pastime - Joe
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08-21-2009, 08:10 PM
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#10
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Guest
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Re: My preliminary pathology report
Hurray, good news. Amen
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