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Smiley - 14 Dec 2004 02:40 GMT

Hadr lumpectomy on 09DEC04 & met with Doc today. They have found that the cancer has spread a bit. Next lumpectomy scheduled for 16DEC04. Doc said that they will inject a dye to try to find the sentinal node. If they can find it they will remove that node and test it. If it is OK then that's it. If they can't find it then all nodes under my arm will have to be removed. And if they find that they are not clear they might have to remove more.

Can someone please tell me their experience with this type of surgery? What should I expect?

1. How long should I expect to be off work? I'm a programmer so nothing physically strenuous.
2. What follow-up treatment should I expect? Chemo? Radiation? And side effects.
3. What drugs would be expected? He mentioned something other than Tamoxifen but I don't recall the name. Fewer side effects he said with the exception that there is a higher incidence of osteoporosis.
4. When should I expect to be able to resume my bicycle riding?
5. What about lymphedema? How severe should I expect it to be based on
a. removal of only nodes under my arm
b. removal of more nodes down my arm

I am 59. Post menopausal. Was on HRT for 15 years.

I'm struggling with this right now. Any experience you can share will be greatly appreciated.

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Kathy
aka smiley

In God We Trust

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A. P. Thorsen - 14 Dec 2004 17:22 GMT

Hi, Kathy,

See some notes interspersed below.

> Hadr lumpectomy on 09DEC04 & met with Doc today. They have found that
> the cancer has spread a bit. Next lumpectomy scheduled for 16DEC04.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> 1. How long should I expect to be off work? I'm a programmer so nothing
> physically strenuous.

After bilateral mastectomies & full axillary dissection (removal of all
findable underarm lymph nodes) on one side, I was off work for about a
month. It was unnecessarily long. Your surgery is likely less
extensive than mine was.

> 2. What follow-up treatment should I expect? Chemo? Radiation? And
> side effects.

With lumpectomy, most have radiation. Depending on lump location,
bracytherapy (sp?) is a potential, and takes less calendar time. Normal
radiation is usually every weekday for 5-6 weeks. Treatments are quick
& painless, but some burning (sunburn-like) may develop nearer the end
of the 6 weeks. Some people experience fatigue, but not all.

The decisions about chemo depend on the size and pathology-report
details about the tumor.

> 3. What drugs would be expected? He mentioned something other than
> Tamoxifen but I don't recall the name. Fewer side effects he said with
> the exception that there is a higher incidence of osteoporosis.

Possibly Arimidex? It's a candidate instead of Tamoxifen, if you're
post-menopausal (as I gather you are).

> 4. When should I expect to be able to resume my bicycle riding?

Do you lean on your hands? You'll have some restrictions in lifing &
such, and may therefore want to minimize leaning on your arms on the
bike. Ask your doc, but if it's lumpectomy plus axillary dissection, I
wouldn't think it would be more than a few weeks at most.

> 5. What about lymphedema? How severe should I expect it to be based on
> a. removal of only nodes under my arm
> b. removal of more nodes down my arm

Even if they remove all the axillary nodes, you won't necessarily get
lymphedema at all. Four+ years past surgery, I still don't have it.
Your risk increases to . . . hmm, what is it. . . maybe 20-40%
likelihood of developing if you have full axillary dissection plus
radiation to that area?

>
> I am 59. Post menopausal. Was on HRT for 15 years.
>
> I'm struggling with this right now. Any experience you can share will
> be greatly appreciated.
>

Best of luck and good wishes to you . . . keep us posted, OK?

Ann T.
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Eva - 14 Dec 2004 21:05 GMT

I am 59. Post menopausal. Was on HRT for 15 years.

I'm struggling with this right now.
----------
I'm 56, post-meno, never took HRT or even birth control pills in my life,
and I still ended up with advanced breast cancer. Don't drive yourself
crazy over taking HRT. You have no way of knowing whether that caused it or
whether you would have gotten it anyway!

Eva

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