Hi All,

My mum had bowel cancer 4 years ago, had the cancer removed and had a temporary ilestomy bag. She did not need chemo or any follow up treatment as they were confident they had taken it all. She has not had the bag reversed as she was too scared of another operation.

4 weeks ago she was called back from a mammogram with an abnormal result, which she thought was a cyst. At the ultrasound they diagnosed it was cancer and took a biopsy to confirm the result. We had the biopsy results a week later to confirm it was cancer and it was a massive mass (126mm by 65mm).  It is not a secondary cancer of the bowel cancer she had.  She has since had another biopsy in another area of the same breast which they were worried about. We received a call from the consultant last week and even though they didn't have the result of the second biopsy, they confirmed she needs to have a mastectomy as it is too big and it is grade 3. It is also receptor negative but we do not know about HER2 yet.  They said she needs biopsy of her lymph nodes as there are some which are inflamed. The biopsy is booked for Wednesday. 
As the cancer is grade 3, so big and they think it may have spread to the lymph nodes I am surprised they have not done a CT or any further tests to see if it has spread. 
She has a pain in her shoulder/arm in the same side and she think it's a frozen shoulder but I worry it may be in her bones and causing this pain. 
Is it normal not to have a CT or any other tests before booking her in for surgery? Will she have one after surgery? We have been told to expect that surgery will be within the next couple of weeks as they are waiting for the lymph node biopsy. If the cancer is in multiple areas of the same breast and the lymph nodes, does that make it stage 3? 
 

thank you x