Comments interspersed below . . . .
"Cavaliers" <cavaliers@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:0tVLi.28354$x%6.404@pd7urf2no...
> "A.P. Thorsen" <annthorsendontsendspam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:fdp4md$5na$1@news.msu.edu...
>> "Cavaliers" <cavaliers@shaw.ca> wrote in message
>> news:4pTLi.267437$fJ5.50782@pd7urf1no...
>
> I'm not familiar with the fine details so will check with my s-in-l,
> however, I don't think she connects to Newsgroups so this may not be easy
> for her to post and not sure if she is up to this right now. We are at
> the 'waiting for bone scans'.
Many of us like "Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book" which is available at most
large bookstores or from Amazon. It has a good index so you can look up
just what you're interested in, or you can read the whole thing. It covers
many breast health issues, and breast cancer in detail.
>
> I'll pass the explanation re Stage and Grade on and meantime ?? is the
> 'grade' is the more serious guide? For example what exactly does Stage
> III mean? The level of lymph nodes affected?
Both stage & grade (technical terms) contribute to "seriousness"
(non-technical term), if by that you mean prognosis/treatability, more or
less.
The stages are based on how large the tumor is, whether & how many lymph
nodes are involved, and whether the breast cancer is (known to have) spread
beyond the lymph nodes.
The grades, basically, are how rapidly the cancer cells are multiplying.
One place to look for information about these terms is
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms...s/staging.jsp/ and
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms...rate_grade.jsp
There are other things that affect "seriousness", such as estrogen
receptivity (often abbreviated "ER"), Her2Neu expression, and other things
that are detailed characteristics of the cancer cells. These things are
usually part of the pathology report, which is a result of tests performed
on the tumor(s) and lymph nodes after surgery.
I think most of us would recommend that your sister-in-law ask her doctor
for a copy of her pathology report. It may not make sense on its surface,
but by reading Dr. Love's (or other) books, checking reliable web sites,
and/or asking questions of us about our experiences, a good bit of
information can be gleaned from it.
One warning: As you read, you will learn things that are hopeful, and
others that seem discouraging. All of us have a mix of factors affecting
us, and learning about them can be an emotional roller coaster ride. Some
of us feel better learning more of these details ourselves, and others find
the roller coaster draining, and prefer simply to find a medical team that
inspires their confidence and not personally delve into details.
> My post has not shown up so I'm glad you posted it when you replied.
> Thanks vm.
The early stages of diagnosis & treatment are very stressful. Your
sister-in-law is lucky to have family who are as concerned and caring as you
are. I know this is difficult for all of you, but you-all can handle this.
All of us are just regular people, and we slogged through all the decisions
and treatments one day at a time. It won't always be easy, but your family
will do that, too.
Best wishes to all of you, and especially so for good results on that bone
scan.
Ann T.
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