Breast cancer - 37 positive lymph nodes
My mum was operated for breast cancer last month. She had tumorectomy and lumpectomy with 40 lymph nodes removed (after previous sentinel node biopsy) of which 37 resulted positive. I have never heard of so many positive lymph nodes. She has been diagnosed with a 1.2 mm DCIS with a large radius of IDC. The tumor was really small, but it seems it has already attacked the lymph nodes. The diagnose after surgery showed that MIB-1 was 10%, ER were 100% positive and the PR receptors were negative. The results for the Her-2 receptor are still unknown. The main diagnose was: breast cancer T1 N1 MX. The doctor told her she will have to undergo chemo, radio and hormonal therapy.
All these results seem quite contradictory. On one hand she had a small cancer (T1), while on the other hand she had 37 positive lymph nodes (diagnosed as N1...which I do not understand). Every doctor we have spoken to so far seemed quite perplexed by the results. The only thing I can deduce is that she is either a "phenomenon" or she has been misdiagnosed. Do you think such a diagnose can be possible? I would realy appreciate any useful information. Thank you for your help!