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Biopsy Results
Hi I have just been reading through other discussions and found people's answers very helpful. I had a biopsy on a lump in my breast (I am 32, with and 9 month old baby) and the doctor said that there was malignancy in the fluid but I had to have another biopsy last week to recheck the tissue, which I am still waiting for results for. He told me that I have to have an MRI and either surgery and radiation or a masectomy in the new year. I am so confused as to what this all means. Anyone else had results like this? Any thoughts?
Hi Trish,
You will be more likely to get replies if you start your own thread by posting a new question. People tend to overlook a question tacked on to the end of an old thread, because they assume it's just an additional reply to the original poster.
Regards....
bb
You will be more likely to get replies if you start your own thread by posting a new question. People tend to overlook a question tacked on to the end of an old thread, because they assume it's just an additional reply to the original poster.
Regards....
bb
I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma as well, and while they were doing the pre-op tests and doing the breast MRI they found something on my other breast that also wound up being invasive ductal carcinoma, so I have cancer in both breasts at the same time. My question is is how do you know what stage you are in? I go the 19th for surgery, lumpectomies and lymph node biopsies, so they will know if it has spread any further.
Thank you for any help,
Take care ladies,
Trish
Thank you for any help,
Take care ladies,
Trish
ooopsie.. I can't care for your child so please substitute You in that sentence :)
I'm not sure what resources are available in Canada but in the United States the American Cancer Society offers free wigs to women who are in need. So if you have a Canadian version they may also offer them. I chose to not wear a wig nor did I wear the caps/hats/scarves etc. I tend to get too hot so bald worked for me and it didn't bother me to be honest. I got the biggest kick out of the kids reaction. They would just smile at me and believe it or not, it was the men who stared.
If you can, ask for EMEND for nausea. It is taken at the time of chemo and for the next two days. I did not get sick even one time during chemo. I worked all the way through my chemo treatments most weeks with overtime (banked my time in advance so I could have chemo day off) and I always chose a Friday so I had the weekend to recover. Radiation was easily doable on my way to work every morning.
You have a small child and you will need assistance. You will be tired and will need alot of sleep and more importantly, you need to give that to your body. Biggest key to chemo is to start drinking as much water as you can to flush it through your system as quickly as possible. There will be times that you won't even be able to stand the idea of drinking water but I highly recommend you doing it.
I can care for your child properly but honestly, do not try to do this on your own if you don't have to. Family and friends can help if you but let them know exactly what you need. Use them. They will want to help.
God bless and remember, you can do this. And we will be here to help you in whatever way we can.
If you can, ask for EMEND for nausea. It is taken at the time of chemo and for the next two days. I did not get sick even one time during chemo. I worked all the way through my chemo treatments most weeks with overtime (banked my time in advance so I could have chemo day off) and I always chose a Friday so I had the weekend to recover. Radiation was easily doable on my way to work every morning.
You have a small child and you will need assistance. You will be tired and will need alot of sleep and more importantly, you need to give that to your body. Biggest key to chemo is to start drinking as much water as you can to flush it through your system as quickly as possible. There will be times that you won't even be able to stand the idea of drinking water but I highly recommend you doing it.
I can care for your child properly but honestly, do not try to do this on your own if you don't have to. Family and friends can help if you but let them know exactly what you need. Use them. They will want to help.
God bless and remember, you can do this. And we will be here to help you in whatever way we can.
I am sorry your 2nd biopsy confirmed BC. :-(
People handle the hair loss from chemo in all different ways.
Some do get wigs. Generally these are covered by insurances, including Medicare, if your doctor writes a prescription for it.( It has to say "cranial prosthesis for alopecia secondary to chemotherapy.") Some find them irritating or uncomfortable, esp. in summer.
Others find scarfs or hats that they feel more comfortable in, at least in public.
Others embrace the "bald is beautiful" philosophy and proudly go everywhere bare-headed.
You will have to figure out which approach feels right for you.
Regarding chemo, it may be more complicated, given your Type I Diabetes, but some of our members have gone through it with the same medical condition as well as additional conditions. Oncologists have some pretty good ways of dealing with side effects these days, making chemo more tolerable for many people, although still not easy to go through. Many of our members have continued to work during both chemo and radiation, so you may be able to care for your son quite well. It would be good, if possible, though, to enlist the help of a friend or family member for the first few days after chemo, until you see how it goes for you.
I hope some survivors will jump in to share their experiences and suggestions, but if not, you should find many previous threads about handling chemo if you do a search of our archives.
Did your report state your ER/PR hormone receptor status, and whethrr you are HER-2 pos. or neg.?
Stay in touch whenever you need us...
bluebutterfly
People handle the hair loss from chemo in all different ways.
Some do get wigs. Generally these are covered by insurances, including Medicare, if your doctor writes a prescription for it.( It has to say "cranial prosthesis for alopecia secondary to chemotherapy.") Some find them irritating or uncomfortable, esp. in summer.
Others find scarfs or hats that they feel more comfortable in, at least in public.
Others embrace the "bald is beautiful" philosophy and proudly go everywhere bare-headed.
You will have to figure out which approach feels right for you.
Regarding chemo, it may be more complicated, given your Type I Diabetes, but some of our members have gone through it with the same medical condition as well as additional conditions. Oncologists have some pretty good ways of dealing with side effects these days, making chemo more tolerable for many people, although still not easy to go through. Many of our members have continued to work during both chemo and radiation, so you may be able to care for your son quite well. It would be good, if possible, though, to enlist the help of a friend or family member for the first few days after chemo, until you see how it goes for you.
I hope some survivors will jump in to share their experiences and suggestions, but if not, you should find many previous threads about handling chemo if you do a search of our archives.
Did your report state your ER/PR hormone receptor status, and whethrr you are HER-2 pos. or neg.?
Stay in touch whenever you need us...
bluebutterfly
So, I have officially been diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (grade iii). I have to start chemo next week (8 treatments), then masectomy, then radiation. I am freaking out a little and am scared about the chemo. I am also a type 1 diabetic, which it seems complicates things especially the use of the anti-nausea drugs. Mostly I am worried about whether I will be able to take care of my 9 month old son properly.
I am also wondering if anyone has anything to share about not wearing a wig? I have been told that I really should get one, as I may find it really difficult when my hair actually goes, but I am really not able to afford one. Just looking for anyone's thoughts really.
I am also wondering if anyone has anything to share about not wearing a wig? I have been told that I really should get one, as I may find it really difficult when my hair actually goes, but I am really not able to afford one. Just looking for anyone's thoughts really.
Sorry you have to wait so long for the biopsy results! (From last week when the procedure was done until the 29th??) :-(
I hope you are able to enjoy the Christmas holiday as much as possible, despite this hanging over you.
There are lots of wonderful members here who are ready to provide both information and support, including survivors who are generous in sharing their personal experiences.
Come back anytime, adding additional questions or comments to this same thread, so that all of your information will be in one place, helping us to provide better answers.
bluebutterfly
I hope you are able to enjoy the Christmas holiday as much as possible, despite this hanging over you.
There are lots of wonderful members here who are ready to provide both information and support, including survivors who are generous in sharing their personal experiences.
Come back anytime, adding additional questions or comments to this same thread, so that all of your information will be in one place, helping us to provide better answers.
bluebutterfly
Thanks, that is really helpful and what I was also suspecting. I get my results back the 29th and will let you know. It is reallynice to know that you guys are out there.
Hi,
If you had a needle biopsy, it can only remove as much of a sample as the needle can hold.
I imagine the second biopsy was to try to obtain more tissue, to document the type of malignancy you have. (I doubt you would JUST have cancer cells in the fluid; more likely the first biopsy just didn't obtain enough of a sample to tell.) The fact that your doctor has already begun discussing your options for treatment contributes to that belief. But you never really know until the patholgy report confirms cancer...
The MRI could clarify how large and how suspicious your lump appears.
Please let us know when you get the results from the 2nd biopsy--we care!!
Best wishes...
If you had a needle biopsy, it can only remove as much of a sample as the needle can hold.
I imagine the second biopsy was to try to obtain more tissue, to document the type of malignancy you have. (I doubt you would JUST have cancer cells in the fluid; more likely the first biopsy just didn't obtain enough of a sample to tell.) The fact that your doctor has already begun discussing your options for treatment contributes to that belief. But you never really know until the patholgy report confirms cancer...
The MRI could clarify how large and how suspicious your lump appears.
Please let us know when you get the results from the 2nd biopsy--we care!!
Best wishes...
Thanks for the info. I guess what I am really still confused about it is the malignancy just in the fluid. Anyone know if this is a good thing? Bad? Neutral? What it really means?
When you have breast cancer there are two ways usually to go about local treatment.
Surgery and Radiation are both considered local treatment, and chemotherapy and hormone treatment are systemic treatments.
Women are often given a choice to have either a full mastectomy, or a lumpectomy followed by radiation.
To decide on your need for systemic treatment, the doctor must first study the resilts of your biopsy results and/or MRI results.
This is just the first piece of information, Take care, Katrin
Surgery and Radiation are both considered local treatment, and chemotherapy and hormone treatment are systemic treatments.
Women are often given a choice to have either a full mastectomy, or a lumpectomy followed by radiation.
To decide on your need for systemic treatment, the doctor must first study the resilts of your biopsy results and/or MRI results.
This is just the first piece of information, Take care, Katrin
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