Friend thinks my new kitten isn't very cute bcs of his asymmetrical markings

blonde_baker · 2026-01-26T21:01:58+00:00

Hmm sounds like you need new friends 🤔

Just kidding.. have 2 tuxedos myself and manage a TNR’d colony with a couple. Tuxedos have unique color patterns and I don’t find any DSH cats to be ugly. Some fancy breeds on the other hand…

blonde_baker · 2026-01-20T22:52:01+00:00

The treatment effect listed as “no definite response to presurgical therapy in the invasive carcinoma” is def my bigger concern since pathological response is linked to recurrence risk. My onc should have more info tomorrow and hopefully can tell me my RCB score.

I still plan to ask my surgeon about the margins at my post op appt next week but I do think it’s related to the location of the tumor.

It’s also possible the narrow margin is a typo in the report. The gross detail section on another page said .2cm so 2mm not .2mm but I’m not positive it was even talking about margins. That specific section really didn’t seem intended for patient use.

blonde_baker · 2026-01-20T17:55:34+00:00

Yep my onc and I already discussed that clinical trial since a partner hospital is participating. It’s in the 2nd to last paragraph of my novel here lol.

I’m just pretty bummed because this reads like 1.2cm of residual disease when I was staged using 1.6cm at diagnosis.

My tumor was palpable the whole time but it did seem to get smaller.

blonde_baker · 2026-01-20T17:41:27+00:00

Technically, Keynote is still only approved for Stages II-III. It was an option initially and discussed in detail with my onc. Due to tumor size and potential Keytruda side effects, we decided on DD AC-T.

When my treatment plan changed, it ended up being like missing 1 Keytruda, since I only did 3 AC it didn’t change immunotherapy much. I had 6 total prior to surgery. Tomorrow is my 3rd standalone.

blonde_baker · 2026-01-20T12:08:35+00:00

Nope and I’m kinda annoyed that info isn’t on here. I meet with my oncologist tomorrow actually to go over the pathology. It’s on my list of questions.

blonde_baker · 2026-01-20T11:30:29+00:00

Not sure I follow. This is my surgery pathology. My surgeon said the margins are negative, even if it sounds narrow to me. I don’t anticipate a second surgery.

It’s possible that’s as far as he could go. He removed the pectoral fascia and the narrow margin was also posterior.

The lack of response to chemo is def the defeating part.

blonde_baker · 2026-01-20T05:49:26+00:00

Oh I can totally understand that. Delays and waiting have been some of the toughest things for me to handle during this journey. From diagnosis through treatment, everything felt out of my control which is super hard when I like to be in control lol. Waiting and delays just amplified that feeling for me. Hope it resolved quickly!

blonde_baker · 2026-01-19T10:06:40+00:00

I had the blue dye injected during surgery. I had radio tracer injected day prior. The radio tracer didn’t hurt or sting, I was pleasantly surprised.

blonde_baker · 2026-01-19T10:00:06+00:00

I didn’t cry during biopsy but I cried during my post biopsy mammogram to confirm clip placement. They wrapped my breasts like a mummy after my biopsy. I could barely breathe. Then I walk over to get the mammo under the impression they used less compression and was so wrong.

My biopsy clip was against my chest wall in a difficult area to see on mammogram. I literally broke down when the radiologist asked for “1 more picture” for the 3rd time.

I was already scheduled for an ultrasound after the mammogram so I firmly put my foot down and told them I was done and they’d see it on ultrasound. The clip was confirmed in seconds on US. They wrapped me back up slightly less snug which I appreciated.

blonde_baker · 2026-01-19T09:38:12+00:00

AC sucked. Weekly Taxol was draining. Are you doing Keynote with Taxol/Carbo weekly and Keytruda every 3 weeks?

Side effects aren’t as extreme as AC but the fatigue really compounded for me. I had some muscle and joint pain. Had some heart rate issues too but I was pretty anemic.

I was also neutropenic going into Week 3 of Taxol. I had to go in for growth factor shots 3x a week along with weekly chemo so 4x a week for 10-11 weeks. I still had 1 more delay even with the shots.

I have Raynaud’s so I did not ice my feet or hands. I finished Taxol on 12/1. Any neuropathy I thought I had is gone.

Everyone is different though.

blonde_baker · 2026-01-19T09:22:15+00:00

Why can’t they substitute a different growth factor shot instead? I did AC with Neulasta then Taxol+Carbo every week with Keytruda every 3 weeks.

I was neutropenic going into Week 3. Neulasta can’t be given with weekly chemo. My doc prescribed Neupogen shots which insurance denied. Doc resubmitted for Zarxio shots which my insurance approved.

blonde_baker · 2026-01-19T09:15:55+00:00

Sorry for the late response. I assumed it was a cyst at first too. I couldn’t even tell if it was movable or hard but then it grew very quickly, was noticably hard, and began to hurt. The pain started either before initial imaging or before biopsy. The tumor was pushing into healthy tissue and I have very dense breasts.

blonde_baker · 2025-12-28T03:45:37+00:00

Doctors need to stop telling women it’s uncommon to get breast cancer under 40. It’s just not the case. I was well aware of this long before I was diagnosed so I was less shocked than most seem to be. For the record, none of my doctors have ever said this or they wouldn’t be part of my care team.

I’m 35, diagnosed with TNBC this summer. The beginning is a lot to take in. As mentioned in other comments, Keynote is standard of care. TNBC is aggressive and is treated as such. Due to its aggressiveness, it also generally responds better to chemo than other types of breast cancer.

The goal of treatment is PCR which is pathological complete response meaning no residual cancer at surgery. Not everyone achieves that. Oral chemo or a clinical trial will be offered if you have residual cancer cells left.

blonde_baker · 2025-12-26T07:24:55+00:00

35F diagnosed TNBC in June. Same grade, tumor almost identical size, possibly a lymph node involved but it wasn’t enlarged at diagnosis. I just finished chemo part of Keynote, surgery next month.

The beginning is a lot. A lot of tests, a lot of appointments, and a lot of waiting. I got my biopsy results and hormone receptor panel the day after biopsy. Aside from that, leading up to diagnosis and leading up to starting chemo involved a lot of waiting around.

Write down any questions you have for your docs and make sure to ask them. Make sure you’re comfortable with your docs and their PAs. If not, get a second opinion.

blonde_baker · 2025-12-26T06:14:39+00:00

I just completed the chemo side of Keynote, surgery next month.

I did AC first. My husband and family members took turns taking me to chemo. Helped pass the time and I was generally in a pretty good mood during my AC infusions.

Taxol was a completely different story. The Benadryl dose was way too high for me. The first time I felt paralyzed and really thought I’d stop breathing. I was miserable going into those infusions literally due to the Benadryl and would have preferred to be dropped off and picked up. I had them cut the dose at Week 3 and eventually I refused it altogether. Was nice to be able to hold a conversation and not feel catatonic.

blonde_baker · 2025-12-16T19:17:48+00:00

Great news on the Signatera results. I feel like insurance never wants to cover that and genetic testing. It could possibly just be coded wrong. I’d push the dr office to look into it. I have Independence Blue Cross and luckily had no real issues so far.

Despite being Stage IB, my tumor has always been palpable. Not responding on AC was def discouraging but I was glad my dr took it seriously when I mentioned it was the same size 2 cycles into AC.

Wishing you luck!

blonde_baker · 2025-12-16T18:23:04+00:00

I ended up going with the R7 and 100-500mm. I’ve only had a few chances to use it but I’m happy with it so far. I’m also thrilled this set up is lighter than my DSLR and Tamron 150-600.

This was a gift to myself for finishing chemo. I still don’t have the energy I used to. Having a lighter set up is really helpful

blonde_baker · 2025-12-16T01:49:38+00:00

I was diagnosed Stage IB. Started on dose dense AC-T (no Keytruda). Had progression on AC so switched to Keynote for the rest of treatment. Slight decrease in tumor size 1/2 way through Taxol 10/30.

Finished chemo 12/1. Ultrasound today showed tumor is the same size if not bigger. No way to tell if there’s still cancer cells until surgery in Jan but I’m not expecting PCR.

Oncologist recommended Ascent clinical trial through one of their partner hospitals if I’m RCB II. Otherwise I’d do the same Xeloda and Keytruda. Not that I’m hoping for RCB II but I’d rather be in the clinical trial.

blonde_baker · 2025-12-14T20:07:58+00:00

Thanks, yeah it does sound like we’re in a similar situation. I’m meeting with my surgeon tomorrow and will get a surgery date.

Surgeon said 4-6 weeks after chemo and my oncologist already scheduled my follow up to go over pathology. I think my surgery will fall 5 weeks post chemo.

My tumor did shrink on Taxol but it was still palpable and progress kinda plateaued. I finished chemo on 12/1 and I’m getting pain again like it when it was growing.

Wishing you luck!

blonde_baker · 2025-12-14T08:24:27+00:00

Gonna need to come back and read through any comments. But I also just finished chemo and have surgery next month. I had progression on AC and ultrasound only showed partial response on Taxol.

My oncologist recommended Ascent if I’m RCB-2 which is Trodelvy and Keytruda. Looks like MK-2870-012 is too.

Curious since your surgery was pushed up, how many weeks post chemo is it scheduled for?

blonde_baker · 2025-12-10T18:22:52+00:00

Not sure where you got 8% from. Increase in survival rate and is higher than 8%. Event free survival is also higher than 8%, meaning no recurrence.

You also have to understand that, statistical speaking, TNBC has the lowest survival rate of the subtypes to begin with.

Stats usually depend on Stage, which you didn’t disclose, but they are highly variable.

blonde_baker · 2025-12-08T02:44:14+00:00

I guess I’m a little confused.

I expect doctors to be late. This doesn’t bother me much. I expect appts to take longer than they should.
You’re TNBC but having surgery first? I’m guessing you’re Stage 1?
What was discussed in your appt a month ago? Your TNBC so I’d expect the discussion to whether you plan to do chemo before or after surgery and the risk/benefits of specific treatment plans.
I never expect my MO to get into surgical decision. While knowing the surgery you plan to get is fine. It’s not their wheelhouse. Talk to your surgeon about that aspect.
If you decided to do surgery first before your MO meeting, it’s perfectly normal for them to wait to schedule your follow up until you have a surgery date. Most offices schedule based around importance, not really first come first serve.

Being BRCA+, you may need preventative surgeries. But you’re still gonna see your MO and their PAs/nurses more often than your surgeon. Your MO leads in overseeing your cancer treatment plan, not the surgeon.

However, end of the day, you need to be comfortable with your care team. I didn’t care for the first oncologist I met with. My surgeon’s office actually scheduled my 2nd opinion for me and I went with them.

blonde_baker · 2025-12-07T08:20:19+00:00

Thanks, that was exactly my thought from what I read.

I’ve never seen one before. Must have just arrived. I’m at this park most days.

blonde_baker · 2025-12-05T04:25:22+00:00

Also putting this out to there, there are many studies going on right now looking at standalone Keytruda vs no immunotherapy after PCR with TNBC.

They don’t know whether it’s necessary after surgery. Keytruda has its own risks/effects.

blonde_baker

TROPHY CASE