Breast cancer & shingles

[Tklein9495]

Hi!  I was diagnosed with breast cancer this past Friday 3/25.  On the same day I developed a red rash on my side and at the corner of.eye.   My doctors office was closed due to the holiday, so I couldn't see him til today 3/29.  I learned I have a severe case of shingles and have started treatment.  A MRI is being scheduled to see if the cancer has spread. I am concerned about treatment. Has anyone had this happen and do you know if I can start treatment for the breast cancer?  I'm scared this will postpone e everything.  Any info. would be appreciated.  Thank you!

[Tklein9495]

Thank you so much for your response.  I have never had anything as painful as shingles and cant do anything without feeling pain.  Knowing it won't postpone treatment takes a lot of stress away. Thank you again!

[japdip]

This is most unfortunate and it does complicate things a bit but since you were so recently diagnosed I doubt that it will delay further treatment. There is and isn't a relation between the two conditions. Shingles is the reactivation of the virus that causes Chickenpox but is only related to cancer because both stress and cancer can suppress your immune system and thus increase the chance of this virus reactivating. You are in the early stages of BC treatment; most testing will be done (MRI) before your actual "treatment" begins. It's much easier to say than to do but try not to stress even more now and I doubt that any delay will change the outcome of the Breast Cancer treatment. Even normally there is considerable time between diagnosis and the various stages of treatment for Breast Cancer. Carry on as best you can, our thoughts are with you. Any updates along the way will be much appreciated ..... Kindest regards.