DIscolored breast inverted nipple

My mother is 86.  In the spring of 2008 she was diagnosed with breast cancer – about the size of a postage stamp.  She chose no surgery or chemo as was suggested -  did not even have a biopsy – only a mammogram and an ultrasound confirmed the mass.  Over these past years she has done remarkably well using a stringent nutritional diet and supplements.  She has gotten routine CA marker tests which have shown a slight increase in numbers but have always remained in the normal range.  In the past few months her breast has turned red and blue and the nipple inverted.  She still refuses to have a doctor take a look at it but has recently gotten another batch of CA marker tests which have come back in the normal range – or so she says as I have not seen them. Can anyone give me ideas as to what is really going on with her breast?  I deeply suspect the cancer is growing and she does not present the protein markers but I am not a clinical person.
Thanks
Concerned daughter

[SueYoung55]

Without treatment the breast cancer does progress. It will also spread unchecked throughout her body. She sounds like she's doing well as you've not mentioned any illness. As she's chosen not to have treatment, I don't understand why she's getting marker tests done.

Best wishes to you while your Mother goes through this.

[katarina777]

I agree with you, ForAnna, that Your mother does not only have cancer but that it is getting worse.

Was her lesion ever completely confirmed? i mean by biopsy, or in a manner that made the doctors sure?

In fact, and I usually assume that the poster knows that what I am saying is an educated guess in combination with my own opinion, mostly coming from my experience, and not a 'diagnosis'.

I know a lot about some aspects of bc, and very little if none about others, and that is because I have had cancer myself for 3.5 years now, and have learned not only from my own journey but by reading research, and many personal posts and feedback to those, and it all adds up. Plus, I have had many radiations and many of the treatment and several chemos as my cancer has advanced over the last 1.5 years especially.

The reason for explaining all this is that I think that what you describe about your mom's condition makes me believe she may have IBC (Inflammatory breast cancer).   And I have really never said that to anyone who described the cancer in question and who was concerned about just that. You are the first and you have not even asked.

The only point I have to offer is that you may want to bring this possibility, or possible concern up with your mother's doctors.

Katrin

PS: Please keep us informed about the process, and I feel for you, really.

[katarina777]

I thought the exact same thing as you, SueYoung55.
Why is mom having tumor marker tests? And to me it also seems like there is something missing, and/or wrong with what she passes on to you.
If I were you, I would maybe not push her for more information but really make her aware of how you feel about her not sharing, or withholding, even perhaps lying to you.
maybe she does it for the reason of wanting to protect you, but she is doing the opposite and hurting you. If she loves you seriously she needs to show this by sharing the truth with you but she may have no clue about how you feel and only assumes she knows best how to treat you to be the best saint, etc. it's not fair, this is a family problem and I am sure she feels that this is in your best interest and makes her strong and brave, but you want her 'real' and not 'perfect', right? nobody loves anyone else for being perfect, and for never complaining, but for being real and sharing one's true self.

KATRIN

[katarina777]

My last post was to both of you, of course, and not only SueYoung55, but forAnna as well.

[ForAnna]

Thank you so much ladies for your input.  I also deeply suspect IBC from my online research.  Mother does not consider this a family disease but rather her own business and gets livid with me when I try to get her to get medical intervention.  We have always been very close and she does not want to worry me. On the other hand she is probably the most anti medical person I have ever seen choosing instead to have a magical belief system in health foods and supplements.

No she never had a biopsy but her radiology report from the ultrasound conformed a calcification with high suspicion of BC in 08.  Her Ca numbers started at the low end of ‘normal’ then and have been creeping up but have remained in the high end of the normal range.  I know that CA 125 marker for Ovarian cancer as an 80% detection rate as I had a friend who had OVCA with numbers in the normal range and yet she was filled – stage IV.  I was wondering if Ca marker for BC was the same I guess.  Mom also has a dry cough and her energy is declining yet she firmly refused to even have the MD look at her discolored breast – yet claims the numbers tell her she is cancer free. It is not a sane situation but one I must deal with none-the-less. Old age, control issues, fear keep the truth at bay I am afraid... I think I am probably trying to prepare myself yet I don’t want to be waiting on deaths door if I don’t have to be.  Thanks again.

[alidi]

Let your mom decide what is best for her, she is 86,If I were her age, I would
do exactly, what she is doing.
I was diagnosed with BC, Grade 3, Stage 1, I went to thru surgery, radiation, no chemo,
I am fighting this illness with convetional and alternative therapies, I am doing fine
now,but i am younger than your mom.
I think, she is a wise and strong woman, and I wish her well.
Why she should be torture with, surgery, chemo, and all the works?
leave her along, who cares how her breast looks like?
If she had BC in 2008, she is surviving three years without the torturous tratments.
Breast Markers are not 100% accurate.they might show high because other
health factors.

God Bless !

Ali.