National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

My story started when I was called back the day after my yearly routine screening mammogram on 2/21/08. The radiology department asked that I come back for a diagnostic mammogram and ultra sound of my left breast. The additional imaging confirmed a small solid mass and a biopsy was recommended. I met with a surgeon and a biopsy was set up for 3/11/08. I had a wire guide placed by ultra sound prior to the biopsy surgery so the correct tissue could be removed. The pathology report was positive for invasive ductal carcinoma, the tumor size being 1.2cm, grade 1/slow growing, but did not show clear margins. I opted for a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy on 3/19 with radiation to be scheduled after I healed. I had also signed for axillary lymph node dissection if the frozen section on the sentinel node had been positive.
However, again the pathology report did not show clean margins, although the node tested was negative for cancer cells.. Further lumpectomy would compromise the breast circulation. I had a mastectomy on 3/28/08 which did indicate clear margins. Pathology also indicates I am ER and PR positive; HER-2 negative. On Friday, 4/7 I will have a bone scan and CT of the chest and abdomen; on 4/14, an MRI of the brain for staging before I meet with an
Oncologist to decide if further treatment is needed.
I have one practical concern. I still have a drainage tube. When I saw the surgeon yesterday, I was told to keep lumpy areas at each end of the incision draining,,,like How? I do massage these areas toward the center of the incision but they do not go away.
My other concern is that I wonder if a single negative sentinel node was enough to be sure there is no node involvement.