Pathology Report

Today we had the post-op with the breast surgeon.  The main reason for this visit was to go over the pathology report which finally tells you the stage of your breast cancer.  Because none of my tumours measured over 2 cms and there was no lymph node involvement, I am Stage 1.  (The stages run from 0-4, but I knew even before surgery with invasive ductal carcinoma that I would be at least a 1. If you're really interested in how staging works, read more here). This is really the best outcome we could have anticipated.  I found out that my largest tumour was 1.1cm, and that my genetic testing for the BRCA gene also came back negative, so I don't have the genetic mutation that would increase my risk of a reoccurrence.  I like having stats to back up all the medical madness that I'm undergoing, but I don't necessarily find them all that reassuring.  According to the American Cancer Society, women with Stage 1 cancer have an 88% survival rate.  Sounds good right?  But that's a five year survival rate.  Five years?!  What the hell is that?!  I told my surgeon I was less than impressed with the numbers, but she did say that if cancer comes back it mostly does so within two to five years which is why the five year mark is such an important anniversary for survivors. Okay, that makes me feel slightly better, but I think some longer studies would help some of us younger gals feel a little more hopeful.  If anyone has more upbeat numbers or suggestions for resources, please feel free to share. Other than a follow-up visit in two weeks and a script to start physical therapy for my arm, I think my surgeon's role in all this is pretty much done.  What?  Breaking up already?  It's amazing that so much has already happened in a few short weeks.

The rest of the afternoon we spent at my oncologist's office getting geared up for chemo.  In my last post on this topic I explained that I am ER+ (estrogen receptive), PR+ (progesterone receptive), and HER2+ which basically opens up targeted treatment options. I will be taking 3 chemo drugs - Taxotere, Carboplatin, and Herceptin (TCH) once every 3 weeks for 6 cycles (about 4 1/2 months) and then I will continue taking the Herceptin alone to complete one year, and another drug Tamoxifen by mouth for five years. It seems most people feel lousy their first week of chemo and then the following two weeks aren't that bad (whatever that means).  I hope that is the case because I'd like to keep working on those days when I'm feeling "good".  The original plan was to start chemo on Feb. 21st but with the 20th being a holiday, treatments are all backed up and it ended up being a hard week to find an opening.  Instead, I will get an extra week for the mastectomy to heal, and I will begin my first round of chemo on February 27th.  The delay is probably not a bad thing considering I have to get blood work done, a heart scan, pick up drugs to offset the chemo drugs, have a port inserted into my chest for infusions, and take a chemo prep class.  My calendar has never been so busy --too bad it's not anything fun!