please please please read..ANY info needed...

[Ihatepalps2]

my mom just ( an hour ago) was told she has breast cancer. We have a very healthy family, this is a total shock. I am in shock I think. Shes 69,  heatlthy and fairly active. She always has "calcifications" on her yearly mamograms..( me too). They are always nothing. Last year, she noticed that her left nipple inverted. She mentioned it-they werent too concerned ..and gave her the yearly mamo. It was fine...but she said they did extra mamos of that breast to be sure. All was well. About a month ago, she had this years mamo. Was fine...but nipple still inverted, left side.
The dr did an exam, he said he agreed with her when she said it "felt different". Felt "firmer". This, on the side of the inverted nipple. So even tho the mamo was fine, they referred her to the surgeon. He did a very thorough exam, said he agreed as well...it felt firmer and ordered an ultrasound, that he sat in on. He said she was " a puzzle" to him--that the ultrasound showed absolutly NOTHING. He said he could let her walk out of there at that point, but was hesistant to do that-since he felt unsure as to what this was. So..he scheduled a biopsy for 09/30. 2 days ago. He went in, and took some cells.
She just got the call ( mom & dad live 2 hours away from me). The cells they took were cancerous. I am devastated and feel in shock. My mom is my best friend. I have not talked to her myself.... just to my dad, who feels as I do.
The phone call they got from the dr was brief, and didnt say much. He wants her in on Monday morning, and they will talk further--and set up a game plan.
We have no cancer in our family. I dont even KNOW anyone with cancer. I am ignorant. My question that is just about to burst out of me is this:

if the mamogram AND especially the ultrasound showed nothing--how can there be anything there????? what can they go in an remove, if theres nothing there? When they say they removed cancerous cells--does that mean a tumor is there, and somehow is hiding from everything??

do they remove "cells"? Does this mean its caught before the cells can form a tumor? Im sorry...to ask all these dumb questions, but please..please someone....anyone that might know....please answer. I know we will know more on Monday....I guess they give "it" a stage #??
Do they remove a whole breast? Does she want her whole breast removed?
please help me...


Thank you.

[katarina777]

There are also some more rare cancers, like my own, that do not always form tumors, and that do not always show up on either mammogram or ultrasound. They more form little nests of cancer and can be very invasive. With mine, and which is called IBC, (Inflammatory breast cancer), it usually involves nipple inversion but also a swelling of the breast because the lymph system in the breast is clogged up. It may also be red and the skin sort of thick.

I know there is so much to learn. nobody in my family ever had cancer either.  I am a nurse and I didn't know anything..nothing about breast cancer.

They have really come a long way with bc, and even should it be very bad, or just bad, there is a lot of good treatment, and it is no longer as bad as it used to be. (like, the nausea and vomiting they can now treat in case your mom needs chemotherapy) Also, having a mastectomy is really not quite as bad as it sounds. It is rather painless, in fact.

You will all get through this, and it will get easier when you know and understand more. I am so glad your mom has a very good surgeon. that really matters a lot.

Best wishes, Kat

[Ihatepalps2]

I just want to say THANK YOU...to every one of you that answered my post. You all made me feel better...what a wonderful group of people..to take the time to make someone you dont even know, feel better.
Today..24 hours after we found out..I am numb..as you can tell, I am very close to my mom..so...I just feel out of sorts..like a zombie..but what I have also felt is the support-both from people I know, and dont know. Ive also started hearing "new words"...cancer words ...and trying to absorb all I can about this new world we have suddenly been thrown into.
Thank you all. I will probably be back on Monday afternoon---after my mom goes to the Dr and gets all the real results....

[Sai387]

Hi, I would like to tell you my personal story almost similar to yours. My 36year old sister felt little bit discomfort and some blood discharge from her left breast and went and saw her OBGYN. After the Mammo they found over 9cm micro calcification. They did biopsy and came to know that it is cancerous. Since it’s over 9cm on her breast, they performed the Mastectomy and sent it for pathology. Fortunately, the report says it’s stage 0, non invasive ER,PR -ve DCIS. She doesn’t need any radiation as well as the chemotherapy.
SO, your mom’s case is some how similar to my sister’s case. I hope your mom also has non invasive BC. Even though it’s invasive, now adays the treatment options are very good. Don’t worry. We will pray for you. I know how you are feeling now. Be positive.

[recrdpxi]

Hi,
First off...thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. One thing that you need to focus on is that Breast Cancer is now treatable when caught early enough.  For me...it is family genetics and I found a lump....it came up benign with every test until the lumpectomy.  Keep a list of questions to ask the Dr.'s whenever you go.  Be there for mom and let her know that you are there to support her.  For me mastectomy was a choice since I tested positive for the BRCA genes.
It sounds like your mom has very good Dr.'s as they didn't give up...this is a good thing.  Take care and let us know how things go.

[japdip]

I know how upset you must be to learn of your mother's recent diagnosis. She evidently has some very vigilant Dr.s caring for her. I admire the Surgeon for following this to a conclusion .. she is fortunate in that respect. The inversion of the nipple can very well be an indication of cancer within the breast although there are instances when it is not a problem. As the previous post indicated; the calcifications are only a concern when they are found in clusters or groups. If there is no actual tumor that can be palpated then this must be a relatively early stage of cancer. I think you should go with your Mother to her next surgical appointment if at all possible to better understand the course of action. The Surgeon will recommend the most appropriate type of surgery or treatment for you Mother's individual case. Many factors are taken into account when making this decision. They do not remove only cells but the entire area of concern as well as some tissue surrounding it. There would also be some sampling of the lymph nodes to test for cancer that may have invaded the lymphatic system. One final comment; the only "dumb" question is the one that remains unanswered OR the one you are reluctant to ask. Make a list and take it with you when you go to the Surgeon's office on Monday with your Mom.  

[Lauriebell]

Your mom's case sounds just like mine.  I had calcifications on my mammogram. If calcifications are scattered they're fine.  However they tend to clump around cancer/tumors.  I never found a lump.  I had a lumpectomy.  They took posrtion of the breast where the mammogram showed the clumped calcifications.  Then they took some extra tissue around that area that they call the margin.  Luckily for me I had clean margins.  I'm getting ready to have radiation.  I don't think doctors are as quick to remove the breast unless the cancer is really invasive.  I hope this helps.