Laura, as I've said before— don't panic. Take this one step at a time. Trust your doctor. CALM... This cancer has taken a long time to grow, and it's not going to explode overnight. Doesn't work that way. Each woman's breast cancer is personal to her; there's no pat answer to your specific questions, because only your doctor, who has ALL the informaiton, can diagnose and formulate a treatment plan. I think it's best for you to take your quesitons to him or her; if you don't like your current doctor, see if you can find a new one. You're going to be in a relationship with this person for a good long while; it helps to have someone you can communicate with effectively, and trust.