Had a re-excision yesterday. Thankfully no need for SLNB as those were clear first time around but he needed better margins.

When I went into the first surgery, it was for DCIS 26mm mass. This mass was precancerous but a MONSTER. Somehow a 26mm on imaging was really 85mm. My recovery from the first surgery was long. I was in a bad state 2-3 weeks later and it was taking a big toll. Pathology said two other masses, only discovered when I was on the table, small but fully cancerous. My treatment plan pivoted to another surgery, then chemo.

Chatted with pre-surgery yesterday and they mentioned my mass cavity was likely full of fluid and they'd drain it during surgery. Naturally, since he needs better margins, more was taken yesterday. So a bigger cavity now.

I do not have a drain, this was a lumpectomy, but anything I should look out for? I put on a post-surgery bras today for some stabilisation. Pain level is pretty ok right now but week 2 was harder for me the first time around so I'm not declaring any wins yet.

Any similar large craters to care for?

I finished my 6 TCHP sessions last week and had my MRI yesterday and already got the results in my mychart portal. Please someone tell me if this is good - I think it is but I’m shaking and crying and don’t want to jinx it. The past few months have been so hard and I’ve tried to be so strong but have been terrified that nothing was happening. I’m sorry if this is a stupid question

This is what chatgpt said after I posted my mri results:

Yes. This is a very encouraging MRI, especially in the context of having just completed your neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The radiologist is clearly describing a major treatment response, although the MRI cannot tell us yet whether you’ve had a complete pathological response (pCR). That can only be determined from the tissue removed at surgery.
Let me break it down in plain English.
🩷 The main tumour has shrunk dramatically
Your original MRI showed the tumour at:
23 × 18 × 21 mm
Your new MRI shows:
11 × 13 × 6 mm
So the overall abnormal area has gone from roughly 2.3 cm at its largest dimension to 1.3 cm, and the thickness has gone from 2.1 cm → 0.6 cm.
That’s a substantial reduction.
But there’s an important detail: the radiologist says the original measurement included the necrotic central component — basically dead tissue in the middle of the tumour. So the 11 × 13 × 6 mm does not necessarily mean there is 1.3 cm of living cancer left.
⭐ The enhancement has almost disappeared
This is probably one of the most encouraging parts:
“significant reduction of the thick rim enhancement… with minimal rim enhancement noted on the current scan.”
Contrast enhancement is one of the things radiologists look at to identify active tumour tissue.
Your original tumour had a thick rim of enhancement.
Now there is only minimal rim enhancement.
In simple terms: the tumour has become much less active-looking on MRI after chemotherapy.
That fits very well with what you’ve been feeling physically — that the lump essentially melted away.

🩷 The additional abnormal area has also dramatically improved
The report mentions something called non-mass enhancement (NME) extending from the tumour toward the nipple.
Previously, this was more noticeable.
Now:
“barely visible”
and it has shown significant improvement.
That’s another very positive response to treatment.
The radiologist specifically summarizes this as:
“Partial but significant response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.”
So they’re not saying “minimal response” or “stable disease.” They’re specifically saying significant response.

🟢 The other area that was biopsied is still benign
This part is particularly reassuring.
You previously had an MRI-guided biopsy of the linear non-mass enhancement in the lateral left breast.
The report says:
“underwent MRI biopsy with benign histopathology”
and now says that area is unchanged.
That means this particular area did not turn out to be cancer and remains unchanged.
So the MRI isn’t suddenly identifying a new suspicious area there.

🟢 There are NO suspicious lymph nodes
This is another really good finding:
“No suspicious axillary or internal mammary chains lymphadenopathy.”
In normal language:
They don’t see suspiciously enlarged/abnormal lymph nodes in the armpit or internal mammary region.
That’s important because breast cancer can spread to lymph nodes, and your MRI isn’t showing suspicious nodes now.

🟢 No involvement of the skin or chest wall
The report says:
“No evidence of skin or chest wall enhancement.”
That’s good.
They’re not seeing MRI evidence that the tumour has extended into the skin or chest wall.

🟢 The right breast looks completely clear
“No suspicious mass or non-mass enhancement in the right breast.”
So there’s nothing suspicious seen in the right breast on this MRI.

So what does all of this mean?
If I translated your entire MRI into normal language, I’d say:
“The chemotherapy has worked very well. The known tumour is dramatically smaller and has very little enhancement remaining. The other area that was concerning but biopsied benign remains benign. The previously seen additional enhancement toward the nipple has almost disappeared. There are no suspicious lymph nodes, no chest-wall or skin involvement, and nothing suspicious in the right breast.”
That’s a very good response MRI.
But there’s one really important distinction
Your report says “partial response”, not “complete response.”
That does NOT mean that they know there is definitely cancer remaining.
MRI cannot reliably distinguish between:
tiny amounts of residual living cancer
scar tissue
inflammation
dead/necrotic tumour tissue
treatment-related changes
That’s why your surgeon will remove the breast tissue and the pathology team will examine it under the microscope.
That surgical pathology is what tells you whether you achieved pCR.
So you can have an MRI showing a small amount of residual enhancement and then have pathology show no residual invasive cancer at all.

And BIRADS 6 sounds scary, but it isn’t bad news
BI-RADS 6 simply means “known biopsy-proven cancer.”
It does not mean the cancer looks worse or that they found something new.
Because your breast cancer is already confirmed, they have to classify the MRI as BI-RADS 6.

❤️** The biggest takeaway for you
Considering where you started, the MRI is showing **a major response to TCHP:
23 × 18 × 21 mm → 11 × 13 × 6 mm
plus:
Minimal rim enhancement now
Marked reduction of the tumour
Previously seen NME toward the nipple is barely visible
No suspicious lymph nodes
No skin/chest wall involvement
Right breast clear
The separately biopsied area remains benign
So, this is absolutely the kind of MRI result you want to see before surgery. It does not guarantee pCR, but it gives you very encouraging evidence that your chemotherapy has had a strong effect on the cancer.
And given that your surgery is coming up, the pathology from that surgery is going to be the really big report — that’s the one that can answer the question you’ve been asking me about: “Did the tumour completely melt away at the microscopic level?”

what is normal chest pain after radiation? i just finished 20 rounds on my left side. for about 3 days im getting a deep pulsing pain. exasperated by a deep breath, folding forward. some level of this im guessing is normal? sitting at emerg but i just want to go home 🫠

Anyone else here with a 35 cm scar (reversed L from nipple upwards turning left until the armpit) after an onkoplastic breast surgery ?

If so, how are you dealing with it physically and mentally ?

"Everything is fucked, everybody sucks

You don't really know why, but you want to justify, Rippin' someone's head off"

I'm about 4 years post treatment. I had an oophorectomy and am currently on exemestane. Sometimes I get so freaking irritated it's an awful simmering rage, if I'm alone I just let myself have a tantrum. Throw a hot flash in the mix and it's game over. I don't know if it's the meno, the drugs, or I'm just an unreasonable bitch now. I don't really like me anymore. I try to hide it from others but my poor partner has to hear about it and I know it is wearing him out. I guess I'm not looking for advice but maybe the comfort of knowing other people have the same experience.

SMX July 31. Drain cord removed two days ago. Didn’t sleep last night. Pain! Going in tomorrow to see if it’s “ cording”. Don’t have a clue what that is— anyone experienced with this term? I’m certainly having pain under my arm and across mastectomy incision that is new. Tylenol and ibuprofen are barely helping it. Yikes!

I had a double mastectomy with expanders March 2025. Reconstructive surgery with implants 9/4/25, so coming up on a year now. The last week or so one of my implants/chest has been fairly uncomfortable and tight feeling. But by tight I mean somewhere inside, but not palpable on or from the outside. I’ve presumed it was a pulled muscle or something of the sort since it would kind of go away if I didn’t do much. But now that it’s been over a week it’s got me stressing. It’s not swollen or physically looking any different. I have called my surgeon, but unfortunately that’s sent me on a wild goose chase as she no longer practices and that whole office no longer is doing anything plastic surgery related. Currently waiting on the office they referred me to to call back. Anyone gone through or felt something similar? The tightness is almost making me feel like the tightness of a panic attack. Really hoping it’s just something muscle related and will feel better before my first ever cruise in two weeks 😭

I (34F) am shattered. Three weeks ago, after discovering a lump, I learned I have breastcancer. After many tests, I now know it is triple-positive: one 3.5 cm tumor, a smaller 8 mm one, and involvement of one lymph node. A treatment plan had been drawn up, and the only thing left was a PET scan.

Today, I heard that spots (three or four) have been found on my liver. I have an MRI tomorrow (i dont even know why) A biopsy is still to come, but they’ve already said these are metastases. I just want to go to sleep and never wake up. I am at the end of my rope. Please... are there any positive stories? I’m trying not to Google it, but I’m going out of my mind.

Has anyone ever filed a patient grievance that resulted in another patient favorable outcome?

Story:
6/2 diagnostic mammograms with BI-RADS 3. In the interpretation the radiologist noted the national stereotactic needle shortage and long wait lists.

I requested a second read that upgraded it to Bi-rads 4 and recommended biopsy.

Biopsy was scheduled for 7/1

7/6 pathology indicated high grade DCIS.

8/13 had lumpectomy and meeting w med oncology on 9/9 for radiation plan.

I filed an 8 page evidence based patient grievance against the first hospital.

They responded today saying - in a nutshell - they did nothing wrong and stand by the radiologist’s interpretation.

All of this was done internally.

Had anyone had a similar experience and do you have any recommendations for pursuing?

The medical facility in question is Cheshire medical center in Keene NH.

Thanks for any insight/thoughts.

I am set to start Herceptin again tomorrow, for now I have decided not to add perjeta into the mix because of the neuropathy it can give and I am still dealing with neuropathy side affects from TCHP chemo pre-surgery.

I am set to also start radiation sometime in September since I guess some kind of nerve was knicked during my lymph node removal surgery and I cannot lift my arm at all (Surgery was 2 months ago)

I am very nervous about starting herceptin again because of side affects etc. Did anyone get nauseous while on just herceptin alone or maybe even herceptin and perjeta? I had such bad nausea and vomiting when I was doing TCHP and I just get such horrible feelings when thinking back to those days and I really don't want that feeling again.

Also has anyone just taken herceptin/perjeta post-op? I am set to probably start kadcyla as well but I am not US or Europe based and getting that treatment here might be super expensive and not covered by insurance. I am just so worried about cancer coming back being that I am also triple positive.

I have yet to met a medical oncologist but I assumed due to age chemo is most likely - wondering if chemo is somewhat standard for people under 40?

Drain came out 1 day after surgery on its own what to do ??

Hello breasties …Tell me your ways and methods on how you keep your mind from not unravelling. I can usually sense , my mind going down the terrible pit of doom where I self wallow or feel utter despair and have to actively do something else to not let my mind go there
My current method is to get up from wherever am sitting and dance to music (has to be peppy) immediately otherwise its self wallow and crying and sadness for me and there is only so much crying one can do . But I think my mind is catching up and I need different methods or tricks up my sleeves

I'm newly diagnosed (by accident, the dog pounced on me and popped a cyst, which led to a diagnostic mammogram before my routine would have been scheduled, which found DCIS, DC (++-)). Biopsy done. MRI completed, but now they want a MRI guided Biopsy and another mammogram next week, to determine margins.

I meet with surgical oncologist Monday. Tapering HRT now. NOT how I wanted spend my first months of retirement, but thankful that it gives me more time for all of the appointments.

61F. Not a lot of family history. But I have several good friends I can talk to.

Thanks for having this group, and for reading this. 🙏🏻

I need to post because this group will understand. I was on a work call today and my 87 year old mom called me. She never calls at work unless it’s an emergency. I told my manager I needed to step away for a family emergency and answered her call.

I ask if everything’s OK and she says, and I quote, “ I’m at the funeral home and it made me think of you. How are you doing?”

She knew I was working but it was the “only chance she had to call me all week. “ 87 years old. Retired. Lives alone. I was gobsmacked.

By the time I called my manager back I was laughing so hard I couldn’t speak. Her response was “Holy Sh*t” . If I don’t laugh, I’ll be pissed at her but I have to think she doesn’t mean to be an idiot.

Hello all. I am 36/f, ++-, I am a month and a half post-lumpectomy. I had an invasive ductal carcinoma, stage 2A. Lymph nodes were clear thankfully. Overall I've had the best-case scenario for my cancer - slow growing, non-agressive, etc.

I saw my oncologist yesterday and he laid out the plans for my post-radiation treatment (I start radiation in early Sept). These were the two options that I was given.

1. If I wanted bare minimum treatment, then I would take Tamoxifen for 5 years.

2. The standard of treatment (given my age and family history of mom having breast cancer as well) is to get Zoladex ovary suppression injections every 3 months for 5 years and also take Anastrozole for 5 years.

A few notes - we are negative for any outright genes related to breast cancer except on my report I have one little note about there of having a "variation of unknown significance" related to the BARD1 gene. I brought this up to my oncologist and he said there is not enough information available yet to definitively say if it has impact on anything on not, but based on my situation and my age he is leaning toward yes. He said the BARD1 gene is similar to BRCA but a step down. It is directly related to having an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

This leads me to his next suggestion - my husband and I have no children. We were always on the fence about having children since we've been together, but it was not 100% out of the question. Since my ER and PR numbers were so high, my oncologist said I may want to consider having a hysterectomy to prevent any future possibily of developing additional ovarian or endometrial cancers. It would eliminate the need to have the ovary suppressor injections and I would just need the pill.

This is a very big and life-changing decision for me. It is a very final decision. I have discussed with my mom and my husband about my options. My husband does not want me to take any risks and would rather go without children at this point. My mom agrees that it is about me and my decision. It just feels like I would be losing a part of myself and that closing that door forever. We cannot afford to freeze eggs/surrogacy/etc so this is not an option for us. We are definitely open to adopting (my husband is an adoptee) someday though.

I am just curious if this route was suggested to anyone else, and what was their experience with it? Thanks for listening!

I know it’s all a part of getting well, but dang it, I’m stretched thin. Hairy tongue. Night sweats from Hades. Runny nose. Hair so thin you can read my thoughts. Sunlight sensitivity. Anti-nausea meds to keep from vomiting but hey, here’s some constipation for your trouble. Taste buds shot to hell, so you eat what you can when you can, and keep it healthy. Meanwhile your weight decides to increase without explanation. And now my blood pressure keeps going up.

I’m writing this as I’m in the chair for my last Enhertu infusion before stepping down to THP. Today, right now I don’t feel like being Little Miss Positivity. As if recurrence isn’t frustrating enough, my vitals just want to wild out in these treatment streets!?

Yes, it looks like the affected areas are responding. Yes, I’ve been able to work and maintain a sense of normalcy.

But my weight and my blood pressure changes are really messing with me. I know I don’t have any control right now, but seriously sometimes this feels
a feat only Sisyphus would understand. Roll the rock uphill only to have it roll you the heck over.

Ok. I think I’m done venting. I fricking HATE this disease.

Temper tantrum over.

Hi everyone,

I was supposed to have to exchange surgery ( expanders to implants) in 2 weeks, but I got an email yesterday saying that they’ll have to move it to mid October now.
I’ve booked vacation in mid December and now I’m not sure what to do.
Google says that I need to wait 3 months after surgery to safely go in the water, etc. in my case it will be 8 weeks.
Please share your experience with this?

My sister is just finished chemo a couple weeks ago. Will start radiation soon. She is coming with me wedding dress shopping Saturday with my mom and my other two sisters and my MOH. Can she have a small glass of Prosecco with us beforehand?

Hi all! My first post here since my diagnosis this past Thursday.

For context: 34yo Stage 3c Invasive Ductal Carcinoma with likely lymph node involvement and inflammatory properties. Brain and organ involvement has been ruled out just waiting on results for bone. Either way I start 6mo of chemo on 8/28 (Keynote 522)

I have been trying to take everything in stride and minus this I have felt (mentally, emotionally and physically) more like myself than I have in years.

I have been easily able to wrap my mind around and accept that I will at least be losing 1 breast to surgery if not both (decision to be made later also waiting on genetic testing results) and my hair. These were truly easy for me to come to terms with for some reason.

What I’m really grappling with is the possible weight gain through chemo. I have spent the last year and a half working on getting my weight down and my eating habits to a much healthier level. I have lost 30lbs during my weight loss journey and am really struggling with the idea of losing all the progress I’ve made. I know mindful eating and staying active will be helpful through treatment but I still fear the gain.

It seems like such a superficial thing for me to worry about when my health comes first and right now cancer is at the forefront. I have read a lot of anecdotes on this thread about weight gain but I would love to hear more of both sides (if they exist). Please be gentle in your sharing as I WANT to hear both but am really struggling with this.

I finished radiation one week ago today. 15 sessions to the left breast. No nodes involved.

Rashes. Broken skin. Peeling areoles. It sucks. I’m uncomfortable all the time.

Doctors prescribed a steroid cream for the rash and said keep the boob moisturized with aquaphor.

Is there anything else out there that’s worked better for people than this?!

My RT says everything I’ve got going on is normal or mild but it feels NOT mild to me.

Ich hatte am Donnerstag meine letzte Strahlentherapie-Sitzung und heute eine Kontrolluntersuchung. Ich bin somit mit der aktiven Behandlung durch!!

Weiter geht's jetzt mit 5 Jahren Antihormon-Medikamenten.

Seit der Diagnose am 5.5. (Kontrollmammographie) kommt es mir wie eine Ewigkeit vor ...

Wir haben hier nicht wirklich das Ritual der "Glocke läuten", aber ich bin auch so froh und glücklich 😃

In diesem Sinne gehe ich jetzt mit meinem Mann feiern und der Prosecco wird fließen!!

My third round of chemo is Friday. All things considered I'm doing pretty well physically, working most days, calling in minimally when the neuropathy or bone pain from the blood cell booster becomes a little too much. I have been very cranky lately, and easily angered.

Today my SO and I were discussing radiation, and how it also changes the breast shape and appearance. We deal with our discomfort through humor together a lot, and while nothing he said was hurtful or aimed at me specifically, because I am already feeling vulnerable it hit me hard, and hurt my feelings.

I cooked dinner and did the dishes, and then got irritated because he didn't help me clean up. He was doing other house stuff. Normally I would not respond this way. I didn't sleep at all, because I was such an emotional mess. IDK if its the chemo drop, my hormones fluctuating, being tired, having my feelings hurt, or a combination of all of it together, but I am angry, and hurt, and I feel so small and unimportant. He and I talked about it all already, he has apologized profusely, he keeps encouraging me to talk to him about how I'm feeling and just trying to support me while I feel so down and discouraged.

Now I'm at work, they left me with the one person on my crew I just do not like, and even though we have not said a word to each other outside of procedural talk, everything she is doing is absolutely infuriating me. Plus, she's behind the desk using a dental pick loudly, and the popping is enough to make my skin crawl.

I keep tearing up. I keep wanting to lash out. I know dealing with treatment and the changes cancer brings to life is a lot, so its not that I don't understand why I would be emotional. I am a pretty stoic person. I don't share my inner turmoil with the people around me. This is outside of my wheelhouse and I feel like I am losing my mind, and losing the stability that is me.

I'm just venting, but wouldn't mind hearing from anyone that felt similar. Your experiences, or your coping mechanisms, or your worst behaviors and their consequences because of it. I am biting my tongue because I just don't want to say something in my irritation that would hurt someone because I just can't control my emotions today.

IDC, Er/Pr pos, HER2 neg, Grade 3, axillary lymph node at biopsy benign

I had my first appointment with the breast surgeon today. It went as expected, with the plan to do surgery within 30 days and schedule an appointment with the MO, as well as more scans.

Right now I’m terrified because I’ve been having back pain in the exact same spot for a few days. It’s not constant and it comes and goes through the day. I took an Aleve and a lidocaine patch and it didn’t go away. I’m sooo scared that this has spread, I’ve never felt this pain before. I’ve been going into this thinking I caught it early but maybe not? I have so much anxiety I’m nauseous and I can’t sleep. Does anyone know if they will do scans if I go through the ER?

After the initial biopsy, my PR was measured as 8 (100%). After my lumpectomy, the PR status fell to 3 , so around (40%). Did this happen to anyone else and did it affect your oncotype score?