MIL, breast cancer, fluid on lungs - advice on whether it could be cause by the chemo?

[jumperweather]

Hi all,

NC.

My lovely MIL was diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer about 7 weeks ago. She started chemo the following week and is having weekly chemotherapy and up until recently has been doing ok.

The lump was in the early stages so they said they feel positive that she would recover, that the fact they've caught it early is good, and a plan to do a mastectomy early next year.

She was saying her legs had swollen up and she was taken to hospital by FIL last night, fluid on chest which they've drained and they're doing more tests this afternoon so we will know more soon hopefully.

What is the likelihood of it being the chemo which has caused the fluid on her chest? I'm so scared that the fluid is due to the cancer spreading that my mind is going crazy.

My DH doesn't want to talk about it because there's nothing we can do right now and he doesn't want to start spiralling.

There are many possibilities none of which can be diagnosed without knowing more about her condition, the drugs, the xrays etc. The medical team should discuss possible causes with her and she can tell you, if she wants. No point guessing since too many unknowns.

@CherryPavlova Yes, I know you're right. Just wondering if chemo can be a cause too. And other people's experiences, which I respect will be different as well.
It's just nice to talk sometimes

Depends on the drugs. They are very toxic and can some can cause heart failure sometimes. Heart failure causes swelling in legs etc. That is not to say she has heart failure, but rather it's one of many possibilities. Nothing to know except asking her team.

Heart failure can be a chronic disease with varying degrees of severity. Fluid on the lungs can be cancer but swollen legs isn't usually a sign. Cancer that has spread doesn't mean the end is imminent necessarily, either.
It could be all sorts of other things too. Impossible to tell.

@CherryPavlova Thank you for taking the time out of your day to reply to me. That's very helpful

Grade 3 means it’s locally advanced so has spread to the lymph nodes locally . My SIL had pleural effusions when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer and she had lung mets . Has your MIL had scans to check for spread ? Hope she feels better soon .

@CherryPavlova she's on Paclitaxel, trastuzumab and Pertuzamab

@Floralnomad They are doing the scans this afternoon as far as I know. Thank you for your reply. Sorry about your SIL x

Hi grade 3 is the level of aggressiveness of a tumour. Stage 3 means it has spread locally. My mum had a grade 3, stage 2 breast cancer. Meaning no local spread to lymph nodes

@Twinwife1018 I think she's grade 3, stage 2 also x

Mine had spread to my axillary lymph nodes, but I had a full clearance and remain well ten years on. Cancer isn’t always a death sentence. Far from it; most women live with breast cancer rather than die from it nowadays.
Herceptin (trastazumab) can affect the heart, but won’t necessarily have done so. The fact it’s Herceptin receptor positive is good, in terms of management. The Paclitaxel doesn’t commonly affect the heart but my goodness it can make your bones hurt.

Scans will give clear results and hopefully reassurance.

@CherryPavlova I definitely don't want it to come across as I think a cancer diagnosis is a death sentence! I know that there's a lot that can be done.

I'm glad that you're doing really well, and I'm grateful for your knowledge on this. Thank you

jumperweather I wasn’t assuming you were thinking the worst but many do hear the C word and panic. Hopefully she’ll be treated and get well.