Aa
confused and scared
Hi, I'm new to this page, and I have been going through the series of testing with all scary results, and now I'm havina a biopsy on Monday. What is worrying me is my MRI report says Priority Report, and continues to say my left breast shows multilobulated mass within the posterior third of the breast laterally at approximately at mid plane at 3 to 4 o'clock this shows type II and type III enhancement and has an anterior module component at 1.5 cm and posterior bridging nodular component of nearly 2 cm...total distance is approximately 4.1 cm on the mid subtraction views, In addition there are multiple enlarged left axillary lymph nodes with conglomerate measurement of 3.2 cm...... Impression report says::: Additional enlarged lymph nodes of the left axillary are present and likely represent metastatic involvement....Bi-rads category 5 , Highly suggestive malignancy appropriate action should be taken..........I don't quite understand any of this, but from the research I have done, it doesn't sound good, can anyone help me understand what all this is, I am thinking I have a very high chance of having cancer, and I haven't slept for days, any response would be greatly appreciated
Hi,
I just want to welcome you to our community, and wish you well with your surgery on Thursday!
Right now your tx plan is designed to fight your recently dx BC, but since you are also worrying about the future, it may help to know that, depending on the type of BC you have (hormone receptor positive, the most common type, for example), there are meds can reduce the risk of a recurrence in the contralateral breast. (If this is applicable to your case, your oncologist will discuss it with you, if s/he has not already done so.)
Feel free to start you own thread, to tell us more about yourself or to post a question, if you'd lke.
Best wishes,
bluebutterfly
p.s. Your are having a single mastectomy and Cheryl mentioned above that she might consider a bilateral matectomy, so I'm going to post a link to a previous thread that might contain some helpful hints for both of you:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Breast-Cancer/How-can-I--prepare-for-my-bilateral-mastectomy/show/1227057?personal_page_id=384050#post_5678838
I just want to welcome you to our community, and wish you well with your surgery on Thursday!
Right now your tx plan is designed to fight your recently dx BC, but since you are also worrying about the future, it may help to know that, depending on the type of BC you have (hormone receptor positive, the most common type, for example), there are meds can reduce the risk of a recurrence in the contralateral breast. (If this is applicable to your case, your oncologist will discuss it with you, if s/he has not already done so.)
Feel free to start you own thread, to tell us more about yourself or to post a question, if you'd lke.
Best wishes,
bluebutterfly
p.s. Your are having a single mastectomy and Cheryl mentioned above that she might consider a bilateral matectomy, so I'm going to post a link to a previous thread that might contain some helpful hints for both of you:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Breast-Cancer/How-can-I--prepare-for-my-bilateral-mastectomy/show/1227057?personal_page_id=384050#post_5678838
Hi there....I've just been scanning through the thread...and like you...have been diagnosed with breast cancer. I'm having my mastectomy on Thursday (12th). I'm very nervous...not really liking needles, hospitals and being reliant on others. I'm also worried about after...and is it all going to happen again it the other breast. But....I have to go through this, so will do so with some humour!
From the time of my diagnosis (July 4th) to now, time has flown - but dragged. I'm glad it's almost here, and almost over.
From the time of my diagnosis (July 4th) to now, time has flown - but dragged. I'm glad it's almost here, and almost over.
Hi pajamas, I've been thinking about your sister and you today, I'm hoping she got her path results with good news and she can move ahead with her treatment plan, I'm so anxious myself to get this surgery done and start my treatment myself, but I don't even meet with my surgeon til next Tuesday, I think I'm falling into a slight case of depression, I have been sleeping much more than normal, and I have NO energy to do anything... But please let me know how your sis made out, your both in my thoughts and prayers daily....Best Wishes ..... Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
My sister's initial biopsy showed ILC & DCIS in right breast. (neither showed on last mammo of 11/12.)
Left breast clean. The surgeon recommended only right mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. Hoping to hear something on the path report today, now that holiday weekend is over.
They have already scheduled a team appointment with surgeon, onc & radiologist for next week. She will find out the plan on that date.
Things will start to move along now that summer vacations are over.
Keep in touch!
My sister's initial biopsy showed ILC & DCIS in right breast. (neither showed on last mammo of 11/12.)
Left breast clean. The surgeon recommended only right mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. Hoping to hear something on the path report today, now that holiday weekend is over.
They have already scheduled a team appointment with surgeon, onc & radiologist for next week. She will find out the plan on that date.
Things will start to move along now that summer vacations are over.
Keep in touch!
Thank you so much for your kind words and hugs. My thoughts and prayers go out to your sister and you for the road ahead that she faces. I have always been a very strong woman, and I will continue to stay strong, I also am doing my very best to keep a positive attitude. These forums have been an enormous help to me, it helps to talk to others that have been in my position and understand what I'm thinking and feeling..If you don't mind me asking, what kind of BC does your sister have, and did she have one breast removed or both?, I was diagnosed with IDC, my left breast is the cancerous one, the right one is clear, but I was considering having a bilateral mastectomy, but of course I will have to discuss this with the surgeon when I meet with him. I hope your sister is doing well, I know your both probably very anxious for the path report, and want to get started with a treatment plan, so please keep me posted on how she does, I wanna thank you agin for taking the time out to message me, it means alot, I realize more and more that I'm not alone in this journey, and people do care...I'm sure your sister and I will beat this, women of this day and age are tougher than ever....Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
Wanted to reply and give you a 'hug' from where I am. My youngest sister was dx on 7/15 with BC and had a mastectomy 2 weeks ago. we are still waiting for the final path report and ultimate plan for her. My heart goes out to you as you begin this journey, as I've seen it from the angle of a person who loves someone going through this. Family and prayer have been our focus, and my sister had a good supply of xanax for the first few weeks. This and other forums like it are a huge support/resource, waiting for the surgery, pathology, plan has been pretty rough. Keep in mind, the progress that has been made with BC and the number of women out there who've had it and beat it! you will too.
Wanted to reply and give you a 'hug' from where I am. My youngest sister was dx on 7/15 with BC and had a mastectomy 2 weeks ago. we are still waiting for the final path report and ultimate plan for her. My heart goes out to you as you begin this journey, as I've seen it from the angle of a person who loves someone going through this. Family and prayer have been our focus, and my sister had a good supply of xanax for the first few weeks. This and other forums like it are a huge support/resource, waiting for the surgery, pathology, plan has been pretty rough. Keep in mind, the progress that has been made with BC and the number of women out there who've had it and beat it! you will too.
Hi Cheryl,
Glad you got some much-needed rest, and that your friends will be spending time with you this weekend.
You know we're here for you if you need us, but it's probably better yet if you can get away from it all (to what ever extent possible) until your consultation with the surgeon next week.
You'll be in my thoughts,
bb
Glad you got some much-needed rest, and that your friends will be spending time with you this weekend.
You know we're here for you if you need us, but it's probably better yet if you can get away from it all (to what ever extent possible) until your consultation with the surgeon next week.
You'll be in my thoughts,
bb
Thank you so much, believe it or not I took some ativan in the middle of the night and I slept til 3:30 in the afternoon, my son woke me up asking if I was ok, or I probably would still be sleeping, But thanks for listening to me, I do feel alot better now that I rested my mind.. I have friends that are coming over for the day tomorrow, so that will help ease my mind some...But I hope you have a great weekend, and I will pop on and off the forum. once a gain thank you so much ...... Cheryl
Try not to stress too much, Cheryl---try to save your energy for fighting your cancer. I know it's really hard, but maybe you can plan some things with family or friends to take your mind off the waiting. Pamper yourself a little or just do things that you enjoy. Because you're in Florida, maybe you could get out to the ocean and walk along the shore or just sit and listen to the waves. When we get down to Florida in the winter, that's one of my favorite things to do! Whatever it is, try to relax and not think too far ahead.Things will go at the pace they're supposed to and stressing or worrying over them won't change anything. If things get really bad for you, you may want to talk to your doctor about a medication to help with your anxiety. Meds shouldn't be a first choice, but at times they're necessary and helpful. It's early in your journey but if there's a breast cancer support group in your area, I know many women benefit from that. Everyone is different and it seems to come down to "whatever it takes" and whatever works for you.
Hang in there and stay strong. I'll be thinking of you and hoping you can have a relaxed weekend.
nc♥
Hang in there and stay strong. I'll be thinking of you and hoping you can have a relaxed weekend.
nc♥
Ok, after researching a little bit more, I guess after diagnosis surgery usually consists of a lumpectomy, or a mastectomy, I suppose my surgeon will discuss this with me when I see him next we.. I can see this is gonna be a very long weekend for me,, and being a holiday Monday makes it that much longer.... I'm staring to feel the stress I haven't felt before,.... Cheryl
Thank you so very much, I went back to my doctor today, she is setting me up with a surgeon, I'm not even sure what kind of surgery it is. Lymph nodes I suppose?? This is so new to me, but I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, which I heard was the most common breast cancer. My doctor wants me to have the surgery asap, I'm not sure why, but I will do whatever she says.. Cheryl
Even though it was pretty much expected, I'm also so sorry about your confirmed diagnosis. It sounds like you're in very good hands and I hope your other doctors will be as compassionate and caring as your current doctor. I also hope treatment will go as well as possible and you have a positive outcome when it's over. You sound very positive and I truly believe that can really help with healing. When I was in practice as a nurse, there were times when things weren't very hopeful, but the patient's attitude and inner strength pulled them through. So stay strong, OK?
Please don't ever worry about annoying anyone, Cheryl---all the women here are here for you. Whether it's advice, information or just support, we want to do whatever we can to help you through this fight. Since I only have LCIS, I haven't been through nearly as much as some of the other women here, so I don't have as much information. But I'll try to be there for you to provide support and whatever advice I may have.
I'm so glad you have support with your appointment and hope your referrals go well. My thoughts are with you.
♥ nc
Please don't ever worry about annoying anyone, Cheryl---all the women here are here for you. Whether it's advice, information or just support, we want to do whatever we can to help you through this fight. Since I only have LCIS, I haven't been through nearly as much as some of the other women here, so I don't have as much information. But I'll try to be there for you to provide support and whatever advice I may have.
I'm so glad you have support with your appointment and hope your referrals go well. My thoughts are with you.
♥ nc
Thank you Bluebutterfly for your kind words, and yes I do love my doctor, I just recently switched to her because my last doctor was a weirdo!, But yes lucky for the pneumonia, I agree. I have my step-daughter and my best friend going with me tomorrow, I hope she will let all 3 of us in the room, I am really bad about remembering what people say to me, so the more ears present the better!, I will be asking a lot of questions here on the forum too, I hope I don't become annoying to anyone, but thanks again xoxo
I'm so sorry to hear that it has been confirmed that you have BC. :-(
We both knew that it was pretty much a foregone conclusion, but there is still always that small chance that it won't be true...
Fortunately, you have had at least a little time to prepare yourself for this news, by talking about it with people and doing research.
And, as strange as it may sound, thank heavens for that pneumonia!!
If you had not had that, they wouldn't have seen the enlarged lymph nodes on the CT scan, and wouldn't have referred you for the mammo, US, and MRI, and biopsy, leading to dx at an earlier--rather than a later--stage!
It sounds as though you have an excellent doctor, and a very considerate one, to see you right away tomorrow, and get the ball rolling on referrals to specialists. You might want to take a friend with you if possible, or a recording device, so that you can review later answers to your questions and other information that she might provide. ( It's really difficult for most people to grasp, much less retain, everything that is said in such an emotionally loaded situation.)
((BIG HUGS)),
bb
We both knew that it was pretty much a foregone conclusion, but there is still always that small chance that it won't be true...
Fortunately, you have had at least a little time to prepare yourself for this news, by talking about it with people and doing research.
And, as strange as it may sound, thank heavens for that pneumonia!!
If you had not had that, they wouldn't have seen the enlarged lymph nodes on the CT scan, and wouldn't have referred you for the mammo, US, and MRI, and biopsy, leading to dx at an earlier--rather than a later--stage!
It sounds as though you have an excellent doctor, and a very considerate one, to see you right away tomorrow, and get the ball rolling on referrals to specialists. You might want to take a friend with you if possible, or a recording device, so that you can review later answers to your questions and other information that she might provide. ( It's really difficult for most people to grasp, much less retain, everything that is said in such an emotionally loaded situation.)
((BIG HUGS)),
bb
Didn't frighten me at all, thank you for your honesty, well it is official, I talked to my doctor on the phone and she confirmed I have breast cancer, so now it is known, and she is gonna see me tomorrow to set me up with an oncologist and surgeon just like you said, she told me the type, but I don't quite remember the word, which I am about to research right now, it begins with a "C" but I don't mind people being up front with me, I like to know everything, thank you so much for all your responses, I appreciate it, coming to this forum is so helpful... Cheryl
Hi again,
Yes, you are getting ahead of youself, but given the Cat. 5 and the pessimistic comments the radiologist made to you, I can understand your concerns about what would happen next if BC is confirmed...
In general terms, a person would likely be referred to a breast surgeon and an oncologist for futher evaluation and tx planning. When all of the test results are in, a determination of the stage of the BC is made, and this, along with the grade and type of BC identified in the path report, is used in making a tx plan (surgery, radiation, and chemo if indicated).
A Sentinel node biopsy is usually done, to see if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes,and if positive, other lymph nodes are sampled at the same time the primary tumor is removed, either by lumpectomy or mastectomy. Other evaluation includes scans of the body to see if there is any evidence that the cancer may have spread to distant parts of the body.
I hope this answer does not frighten or upset you more, but I tend to believe if people ask a question, it is because they prefer to deal with information, rather than uncertainty or imagining.
Keeping you in my thoughts,
bb
Yes, you are getting ahead of youself, but given the Cat. 5 and the pessimistic comments the radiologist made to you, I can understand your concerns about what would happen next if BC is confirmed...
In general terms, a person would likely be referred to a breast surgeon and an oncologist for futher evaluation and tx planning. When all of the test results are in, a determination of the stage of the BC is made, and this, along with the grade and type of BC identified in the path report, is used in making a tx plan (surgery, radiation, and chemo if indicated).
A Sentinel node biopsy is usually done, to see if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes,and if positive, other lymph nodes are sampled at the same time the primary tumor is removed, either by lumpectomy or mastectomy. Other evaluation includes scans of the body to see if there is any evidence that the cancer may have spread to distant parts of the body.
I hope this answer does not frighten or upset you more, but I tend to believe if people ask a question, it is because they prefer to deal with information, rather than uncertainty or imagining.
Keeping you in my thoughts,
bb
I think I may have mentioned previously that biopsy results can take between 4 to 7 days to reach your Physician. You are getting ahead of yourself and this can only make things worse for you. You might consider some type of anxiety medication while you are going through this ordeal. Just a thought .... ask your Dr. the next time you speak; it could be a tremendous help to you. Take care .....
Day 4 since my biopsy, getting very anxious, hoping to get that call today...If the results are positive I was told the next step would probably removal of lymph nodes, does anyone know if this is the usual steps after diagnosis?, I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but that's just how I am..I hope all is well with everyone today, Thanks ...Cheryl
Thank you Bluebutterfly, I was hoping to get results today but didn't get a call from my doctor, if I don't hear from her tomorrow, I will call her. I'm sure you also remember what it was like waiting, it is agonizing for sure!, I didn't sleep well last night because of the anxiety of waiting, if need be tonight I will take a sleeping pill. Thanks for all your replies, I hope to get some news tomorrow, and will keep you posted...Have a great day... Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
There's no set number. I've heard of people having more than that. It's usually up to the radiologist to dertermine how many tissue samples s/he needs to be sure of a good representation of the entire mass. Since your mass was fairly large and multilobed, s/he probablly believed that more than three were needed. That would be good medical practice.
It's not unusual to be sore and tender for a while, because little strips of tissue were pulled out. It's nothing to be concerned about unless it gets hot, red, and burning, which could indicate infection.
bb
There's no set number. I've heard of people having more than that. It's usually up to the radiologist to dertermine how many tissue samples s/he needs to be sure of a good representation of the entire mass. Since your mass was fairly large and multilobed, s/he probablly believed that more than three were needed. That would be good medical practice.
It's not unusual to be sore and tender for a while, because little strips of tissue were pulled out. It's nothing to be concerned about unless it gets hot, red, and burning, which could indicate infection.
bb
Oh ya, and I forgot to mention, yes it was a core biopsy, they took 5 samples, (is that a normal amount) although the order was for only 3, I should have asked why they did the 2 extra samples but I didn't think about it til I was home, anyways the area is still sore and tender, so I'm not moving around too much today...Thanks, Cheryl
Ok Thank you, I've had company all day today which keeps my mind occupied, I'm expecting a call tomorrow from my doctor and hopefully know where I need to go from there, day by day is all I can do for now, Thanks for replying ..... Cheryl
Hi again,
It's not uncommon to have some bleeding, esp. if yours was a core biopsy rather than a needle biospy. I'm glad it's stopped now. Try not to be too active with that arm or lift anything heavy, as that might make it start up a little again.
And If you can try to keep busy the next few days with your boys and/or your friends , the wait may seem to go a little more quickly.
bb
It's not uncommon to have some bleeding, esp. if yours was a core biopsy rather than a needle biospy. I'm glad it's stopped now. Try not to be too active with that arm or lift anything heavy, as that might make it start up a little again.
And If you can try to keep busy the next few days with your boys and/or your friends , the wait may seem to go a little more quickly.
bb
Thank you so much, and yes the biopsy was painless until later in the evening, I must not have bled too bad because they only placed a regular band-aid on it, but when I went to get ready for bed I noticed blood had leaked through the band-aid and onto my bra, and also onto my shirt, is that normal?, I am experiencing some tenderness and soreness today, but the bleeding has stopped, I'm so glad to hear you went dancing the same night!, that is amazing... Anyways I didn't realize I was talking on so many threads so I am sticking to this one from now on, I'm not so nifty on the computer.. haha...but I'm learning :) Next step for me is to wait for the biopsy results to come back which will be probably tomorrow or Thursday, and I will go from there, I'm already preparing myself for the worst, and hoping for the best, but after what the doctor said yesterday, I think it's time for me to put my boxing gloves on!!!...I'm so greatful to have all of you to talk to, and ask questions to, your so helpful and kind, thank you for everything, will post again soon ... Cheryl
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