Looking for insight from anyone who has experienced something similar.
My mom was originally diagnosed with DCIS in 2022 and was treated with a lumpectomy followed by radiation. Since then, all of her follow-up imaging has been clear, and she has been taking anastrozole continuously.
A few weeks ago, she noticed a swollen lymph node in her armpit. A biopsy of the lymph node showed metastatic adenocarcinoma that is ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2-negative. However, a biopsy of the breast itself was normal. She recently had a PET scan, and the only abnormal finding was the lymph node involvement in that one axilla. No other areas of disease were identified.
We met with two oncologists today and received very different messages. One recommended additional testing, including genetic testing and a breast MRI, before making treatment decisions. The other immediately discussed aggressive treatment with IV chemotherapy, which understandably left my mom very frightened.
We’re scheduled to meet with a multidisciplinary breast cancer team at a larger cancer center next week, and we’re hoping to get a clearer picture once all of the information is available.
In the meantime, I’m hoping to hear from others who may have had a recurrence that appeared only in the lymph nodes or an occult breast cancer presentation where the lymph node was positive but breast imaging/biopsy was negative.
Did chemotherapy end up being part of your treatment? What additional testing helped guide decisions? Were there treatment options besides chemotherapy?
I know every case is different, and I’m not looking for medical advice—just hoping to hear others’ experiences while we wait for our next appointment. Thank you.
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