Is chemotherapy required?
I have ungone surgery for the removal of a recurring breast tumor. This tumor was found in a lymph node. My tumors both were estrogen receptive negative and the core biopsy from the second tumor is invasive ductal adenocarcinoma of breast (grade 2/3) the tumor has a tubular score of 3, nuclear score of 2 and mitotic score of 2. I have been told that I will definitely require radiation. Since this latest tumor was found within a lymph node does that indicate chemotherapy as well as radiation?
Originally I had the left breast removed followed by reconstruction and prophylactic removal of the right breast a year later a recurring tumor was found in the lymph node under the arm of the left breast area.
Hi - While chemo is never required, it's usually recommended when cancer is found in an underarm lymph node. Especially since your cancer is hormone-negative, which means you can't benefit from hormone therapy like most women; I'd say you'd want to strongly consider it. Understand that chemo isn't nearly as devastating as it used to be; and the treatment for side effects has improved tremendously. So those "horror stories" you might be basing your knowledg eon could very well be outdated. Good luck - PJH
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