Writing In The Margins

Aug 25

Pathology report came back with good news and some other news. I'm not calling the "other news" bad news.

The sentinel lymphnode came back negative. This is huge!
Since the job of the lymph nodes is to filter out "bad guys" like cancer cells, this is the first place doctors look for breast cancer cells that have escaped the original tumor and are trying to go elsewhere in the body. The presence or absence of cancer in the lymph nodes is one of the most important things they use to determine the best treatment plan. If cancer cells are breaking away from the tumor and traveling to other areas via the lymph system, the sentinel lymph node is more likely than other lymph nodes to contain cancer.

Tumor measured 1.3 cm - which is good!

They found "non-invasive" cells close to the margins, aka edge of the tissue they took out.
Which isn't good because it could mean more surgery. The doctors will discuss it at the tumor registry board this Friday. Nothing was mentioned about the "bar bell" (see previous blog entry). We were wondering if these non-invasive cells were part of the bar bell. We have a follow-up appointment tomorrow morning from this weekend's ER visit . . . . surgeon wants to see the hematoma. We'll discuss then about when, and if, this second surgery may take place.

However, Vic has the same question I have -- why can't the chemo and radiation get these extra cells that are close to the edge of the tissue? The doctors may recommend more surgery, but that doesn't mean we have to do it. Something to think about for sure. I need to get back to work and missing more time with surgery isn't in the schedule.