im a 70 yr old woman with stage 3 breast cancer that has matastisized to 4 lymph nodes.  seriously, will chemo really help me - couldnt I live a better quality of life for a while without the treatment.  and by the way, I had a mamogram a year ago with no sign of cancer, so whats the deal with that.
Hi, Thanks for writing in. Cancer is a difficult condition and curability depends on the response to treatment. Sometimes one or more treatment methods have to be implemented to make sure that there is better survival. As you had no sign of cancer a year ago, the 4 lymph nodes might be a recent development and require immediate attention. It is best if you consult your treating oncologist and discuss the treatment in detail after a complete followup imaging. This might include chemotherapy with newer medication and that way your disease might be controlled. For widespread or significant lymph nodes radiation might also be indicated.