Staging
The staging
of the cancer, 2B, is a clinical staging (based on imaging). This is not as
precise as pathological (surgical) staging. Due to the large size of my tumor
(6cm+) it was recommended that I receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This means that
chemotherapy is administered before surgery. When surgery is performed before
chemo, they are able to test the tumor and the nodes microscopically to see if
there is involvement and thus stage the cancer more accurately.
From all
the tests I have been given, it appears the cancer has not spread (metastasized).
I have nodes that are reactive, meaning that they are enlarged and responding
to the cancer.
When I went
for that first mammogram and ultrasound, the technician and doctor she called
in made note of the enlarged lymph nodes. When I came back two days later for
the biopsy, one of these nodes (the largest) was biopsied. It tested negative
for cancer.
The two (2)
simply means it has advanced locally.
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