Lymph node deposits (aka TD's)

[DJK99]

Dear all

Hoping you are all as OK as possible.

Having been originally diagnosed with breast cancer in Feb 2019, after which I had a lumpectomy and 3 lymph nodes removed(the latter were clear), I have been back and forth for many ops due to recurrences including a radical mastectomy after recurrence within 2yrs, and then several different recurrences within a year of that, and again a year after that..

I have recently been diagnosed with cancer in my lymph nodes (arm pit level 1) however after having another ultrasound 3-4mths later (various reasons) I was told by the radiographer that I now have "deposits" near the original lymph node they biopsied. I have read some rather clear research on this, and will share it if anyone is interested, but I am writing to see if anyone has had the same (presuming this will be the case) - and what the surgeons and related teams said to you about the significance of this.

Also, same question to anyone who has had multiple recurrences on their mastectomy line, within 2 years of the operation.

Thanks very much.

D

[ba5083]

DJK99 - What a battle. Sorry to hear what you are going through. Curious if you had radiation? Have you had your vitamin D tested? Were you on any treatment plans after your initial diagnosis?

[DJK99 in reply to ba5083]

Hi there. Radiotherapy? No, it was strongly recommended from the first time, and then even more strongly one the recurrences started - however I have lupus and sjogrens and quite badly - so the recommendation of 9inches x 5inches rads that would leave my skin "like leather" would mean I couldn't look after myself and I live alone with no family. My independence is everything to me.

I would probably get burnt skin and infections too as I have neutropenia and hypocomplementemia and other low immunoglobulins. My skin is really very bad.. due to the connective tissue/autoimmune diseases. They wanted to do chemo too, but said they "would struggle to put it in me" ie I would be stop/start, hospitalised probably and all sorts.. not that I would have agreed to it. I have heart disease, stage 3CKD, severe pancreatic insufficiency, liver disease and severe gastro issues too. All no good for anything so injurious as chemo and radiotherapy. The daily exhaustion I have is also quite enough, so I really wouldn't have managed anything on top of that.

I did try 6 dreadful months on Tamoxifen and more recently 3 even worse months on Letrozole.. I have osteoporosis so not a good match.. basically I was so ill it was impossible to do the washing up, let alone stop crying with the exhaustion and global pain.

Yes, I've been on high dose vit D as prescribed by my rheumatologist along with the methotrexate for the lupus - since 2017. Why do you ask?

I don't suppose you've had any deposits have you?

Thanks for responding, and hope you're doing ok, D

[ba5083 in reply to DJK99]

I hate to read that you are dealing with a lot. I had a full node clearance on one side and 1 node removed on the other with positive margins. But no node or tumor deposits. I ask about Vit D because my research leads me to think there is a correlation between initial diagnosis and reoccurrence and low Vit D. One study I read a while back showed 92% of those diagnosed with BC are deficient in Vit D and 80% of those were extremely deficient.

God Bless!