So many of you have asked, that I wanted to give a quick summary of where I stand with treatment. If this isn't your bag, just skip this posting!
1. Got diagnosis of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma - Stage 3+ that is not fed by Progesterone or Estrogen. Test for whether it is responsive to Herceptin is pending. Herceptin positive is bad = more aggressive but good = can be treated with Herceptin (which is also bad for your heart.) If its non-responsive to all 3, its considered triple negative. Biopsy of lymph nodes under my arm show breast cancer. Lymph nodes in my neck then swelled - not yet biopsied. Breast biopsy shows small mass that has already travelled. Bone scan and CT Scans of body negative.
2. Recommendation of first team was 2 months chemo (doing it ahead is called neojuvant) then mastectomy, then radiation, then 9 months or more of chemo. Adriamycin and Taxotere.
3. 2nd opinion Sloan-Kettering NJ. Surgeon thinks lumpectomy adequate but have to await oncologist. PET Scan shows large lymph nodes in neck (duh!) which are scheduled to be biopsied next Friday - after I meet with the Oncologist on Wednesday.
4. So we are still waiting for SK team to weigh in on the staging and treatment plan. Will let you all know. Thanks for all the wonderful emails and calls!!!!
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