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02-29-2008, 12:08 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Suwanee, Georgia.
Posts: 56
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Radical Mastectomy....Scared! Any advise
Here is the latest news: I went to Birmingham, AL last week. Meet with about 12 Chief Dr's. (I was the only Indian) My last PET/CAT SCAN on 2/1/08 shows that the chemotherapy medication seems to be keeping the cancer under control which returned last September. I go back to Birmingham on 3/3/08 for an MRI. I have been fighting breast cancer for 7 years and it has been fighting back 7 times. So, I will be undergoing a Radical Mastectomy at the end of this month or first week in April. They will be removing the right breast down to the rib cage, under my arm to the shoulder blade and will also remove part of the pectoral muscle. I will remain in the hospital in Birmingham for no less than 5 days and will have another MRI before I return home to recover. I will need to have more chemo again, after my recovery, for a while. Until now, the cancer has been inoperable due to the largest tumor lying next to the main artery and on top of the nerve bed under my right arm. Dr.'s are very confident that this surgery will STOP the cancer from returning. Dr.'s also feel that after dissections of everything, they hope to find out "WHY", the cancer never spread to any other organs and perhaps be able to help other Breast Cancer Patient's. I have come to far and endured to much to let the candle burn out now. So, any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers through the years.
Betty Lennox & Family
"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."
ISAIAH 43:1
__________________
1/2002 DX stage IIa IDC er/pr+ her2 3+ positive: insitu ductal carcinoma right breast, 3cm 8 node removal all neg;lumpectomy;4 rounds A/C; 33 rads
tamoxifen
4/2004 DX Local Reacurrance; er/pr+ her2 3+ positive; nodes 9 of 12 positive largest 1.5 cm; 28 rads;stopped tamoxifen;went on Femara/lupron
8/2004 DX Local Reacurrance; er/pr+ her2 3+ positive; dbl mas reconstructive surgery w/tran flap; no chemo or drugs
11/2005 DX Local Reacurrance; er/pr+ her2 3+ positive; Taxol/Herceptin 1x weekly for 12 weeks; Herceptin for 9 months 1x 21 days
12/2006 DX Local Reacurrance; er/pr- her2 3+ positive; Her 2 rechecked with FISH her2+++ er/pr-
3/9/07 Started Tykerb (Lapatinib) 1250 mg/once daily
Xeloda (Capecitabine 2000 mg/m2/daily 1-14 every 21 days
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03-04-2008, 06:33 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,193
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Hi Bet
Mine was a modified radical - I'm bumping this up
and hoping someone out there can relate.
Good luck with all of this.
__________________
PinkGirl
Dx Aug/05 at age 51
2cm. Stage 2A, Grade 3
ER+/PR-
Her2 +++
Sept 7/05 Mastectomy
4 FAC, 4 Taxol, no radiation
1 year of Herceptin
Tamoxifen for approx. 4 months,
Arimidex for 5 years
Prophylactic mastectomy June 22/09
" I yam what I yam." - Popeye
My Photo Album
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03-04-2008, 08:31 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Suwanee, Georgia.
Posts: 56
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Pink Girl, what is a modified radical? Thanks for replying. CONGRADS on 2 years...
Betty
__________________
1/2002 DX stage IIa IDC er/pr+ her2 3+ positive: insitu ductal carcinoma right breast, 3cm 8 node removal all neg;lumpectomy;4 rounds A/C; 33 rads
tamoxifen
4/2004 DX Local Reacurrance; er/pr+ her2 3+ positive; nodes 9 of 12 positive largest 1.5 cm; 28 rads;stopped tamoxifen;went on Femara/lupron
8/2004 DX Local Reacurrance; er/pr+ her2 3+ positive; dbl mas reconstructive surgery w/tran flap; no chemo or drugs
11/2005 DX Local Reacurrance; er/pr+ her2 3+ positive; Taxol/Herceptin 1x weekly for 12 weeks; Herceptin for 9 months 1x 21 days
12/2006 DX Local Reacurrance; er/pr- her2 3+ positive; Her 2 rechecked with FISH her2+++ er/pr-
3/9/07 Started Tykerb (Lapatinib) 1250 mg/once daily
Xeloda (Capecitabine 2000 mg/m2/daily 1-14 every 21 days
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03-04-2008, 09:11 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
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I don't know Betty, seems that anyone who can command the attention of 12 Chiefs must be a super chief or emperor or something!
It sounds like when you had the double mastectomy, that was what PinkGirl (and I) had - they do not remove any muscle tissue or, well, any of the stuff they apparently are going back for in your case. They don't do radical masts much any more because it is quite a major surgery - and in most cases not necessary. As you have continued to have local recurrences, maybe they are recommending this as a super aggressive step to get it for good.
I think you are definitely not about to give up the fight - so that dumb cancer will have to be the one surrendering.
__________________
Chris in Scotts Valley
June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial
5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!)
9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go.
2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go.
3/13 TACE procedure
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03-04-2008, 09:30 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,193
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Hi Bet
I understand a modified radical mastectomy
the same way Chris described it - mine was
close to the chest wall but no muscle was
removed. It was determined by how close
the tumour was to my chest wall. It was far
enough away that I was able to have the modified
radical. Hope this helps explain things.
__________________
PinkGirl
Dx Aug/05 at age 51
2cm. Stage 2A, Grade 3
ER+/PR-
Her2 +++
Sept 7/05 Mastectomy
4 FAC, 4 Taxol, no radiation
1 year of Herceptin
Tamoxifen for approx. 4 months,
Arimidex for 5 years
Prophylactic mastectomy June 22/09
" I yam what I yam." - Popeye
My Photo Album
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03-04-2008, 10:08 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 203
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http://www.breastcancer.org/treatmen...mastectomy.jsp
This describes "simple" "modified radical" and "radical" - radical seems to also remove supraclavicular lymph nodes and internal mammary lymph nodes in addition to the breast and first three levels of nodes.
Breast surgery is much less painful (physically) than one would think - because the breasts themselves are mostly fatty tissue, and they don't have to cut through muscle to get to them. It was much less painful for me than abdominal or thyroid surgery.
Wishing you well.
Rebecca
__________________
Dx 8/06 Age 43 Stage IIIA multifocal throughout breast, largest tumor 5 cm, grade 3, comedo, ER+PR+HER+++
Neoadjuvant A/C 4X Dose Dense
11/06 Bilateral Mastectomy (no choice on the right, my choice on the left)
Taxol+Herceptin weekly x12, continuing with Herceptin, finished one year in 12/07
33 Rads
Femara for 5+ years, staying on (started with Arimidex, switched after about a month, much happier)
Abnormal brain MRI shows no cancer, but "extensive white matter diease" - unknown cause
BRCA negative - lots of cancer in my family
survivor of thyroid cancer
also have Crohn's disease
CT and bone scan say NED as of 5/13
dx with severe cardiomyopathy 5/12 (likely due to chemo and Herceptin), ejection fraction in low 20's, now up to 40, went to 50, latest read 12/13 is back down to 35
1/13 Acute pancreatitis - are you kidding me?
9/13 started Humira for Crohn's. starting to have some energy again
B12 and Vit D both needed supplementation
Cataracts in both eyes noted 6/12 - surgery in the next 2-4 years?
4/14 Kidney stones/blockage/infection - related to Crohn's Disease
5/14 My aunt passed away - she was diagnosed after I was with Stage I - not Her2+, then Stage 4 for about one year
6/14 Scans - still NED, thank God. However, broken rib (I didn't notice) lots of bone degeneration osteopenia/osteoporosis. I also still have cardiomyopathy secondary to chemo.
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