Mom diagnosed with breast cancer, did they drop the ball?

magneto

My mom used to get mammograms every 6 months because she has dense breasts, then after the last one they told her that everything seemed stable so they wouldn't need to do another one until a year later. So after a year she did another one and they found breast cancer in her breast and lymph node. I can't stop thinking about how they could have caught it earlier had they done a mammogram 6 months ago like they used to and that they are responsible for her situation. I mean, is there any reason why it would not have been better to just stick to the 6 month schedule? I am seething with anger every time I think about this.

And now they are having her wait an entire week after the biopsy before she can meet with the surgeon. Isn't it possible the cancer can spread in that amount of time?

Lula73

I totally understand where you’re coming from. It’s hard to say if it would’ve shown up 6 months ago. There are many of us on the boards whose cancer couldn’t be seen on mammo or ultrasound...only on mri or upon pathology after mastectomy of a supposedly “healthy” breast. Most breast cancers are slow growing. Waiting 6-8-12 weeks is not unusual. Additionally they need time to get all the pathology back from the needle biopsy so they can know just what they’re dealing with as that will help dictate what treatment paths are appropriate. There are many different types of breast cancer.

Unfortunately no one will ever know if 6 months ago it would’ve shown up. If it’s a slow growing one, it was likely there when she had her previous mammogram and maybe even the one before that, but just not visible, in fact with such dense breasts, I’m surprised she wasn’t doing alternating MRIs with the mammos. If anything, that’s what should spark the anger. You can’t chsnge the past, but you can learn from it. Having an mri now is a good idea as it will let you know if anything else is going on in either breast. Moving forward if your mom opts for lumpectomy, alternating mri and mammos every 6 months is something I’d demand.

Sending warm wishes and positive thoughts your way for you and your mom. Keep us posted on the progress. There is a lot of support to be found in these boards. As you’re already starting to see, you/your mom will need to be your best advocate.

magneto

Thank you so much for the support. I am just really hoping it has not spread to too many lymph nodes or metastasized. I am definitely going to inquire about the alternating MRI and mammogram going forward.

gb2115

It won't spread much by waiting a week to see the doctor. She will wait a bit for surgery too, be ready for that. The process is slow and they say bc doesn't travel fast like that.

NancyD

You also have to weigh the fact that mammograms expose breasts to a minute amount of radiation each time they are done. A mammo every six months is more than most women have, and your mother's drs probably felt that since she was getting a clean mammo for several years, it would be best to reduce her radiation exposure.

edwards750

Bless your heart we understand how you feel about your Mom and what could have or should have happened. There isn’t any way to know for sure. My sister has dense breasts too. She has annual mammograms plus she and I have a genetic connection to deal with because our mother had breast cancer. Both my mom and sister felt a lump. I did not.

Hopefully it is slow growing. Who really knows how long the tumor was there before they found it? I get you are angry because maybe they should have stuck with the 6 month protocol but also doctors typically use history to determine frequency of mammograms. I’ve never been told to have 6 month mammograms despite a family history. Would it have made a difference for me? I’ll never know either.

Just so you know mine was early stage non-aggressive and I was DX almost 7 years ago. I had no idea one of my breasts was bigger than the other. Go figure.

Keep the faith because whatever your Mom’s DX is BC research and treatments have come a long way even from the time I was DX.

Diane

DebAL

magneto, I also had dense breasts and never missed a yearly mammogram. I asked for a MRI last year but I didn't meet "the guidelines" which includes 2 direct female relatives with breast cancer and had no other risk factors. Dense breasts alone are normally not enough to warrant an MRI unfortunately guessing partly due to cost of the test. Even had your mom gone at 6 months it still may not have been detected. As others stated most breast cancers are slow growing. Moving forward should she choose lumpectomy you can inquire if they can alternate MRI and mammo. The waiting is one of the hardest part of this journey. When diagnosed we want the cancer out now. I remember my surgeons words who also had breast cancer "while it is life-threatening to us it is not a threat to life". Time is needed to formulate your care team, seek second opinions, and further testing. You will find much support in this forum and she is fortunate to have a daughter that cares so much. Hugs to you as you support your mom through this journey and you are not alone!

YYC_Girl

Hi magneto

So sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis but glad that you have reached out here for support.~I am learning what a great community it is.

What I am starting to learn on my journey is that the medical community does not fully understand why cancer develops in some and not in others. We all know the risks that increase your odds of getting cancer, but no way of knowing which risk will tip the balance to start the cancer growth~short of having a genetic disposition. So remember that the medical community is human, and therefore not flawless.

My mom had post menopause BC in 2001, a maternal aunt the same, but no genetic link. To error on the side of caution for the past 15 years my Dr would include a mammogram(1 or 2 year internals) as part of my health checkup. I can tell you that my diagnosis last month took the wind from my sails, and completely floored my family doctor. There was 15 months between check ups!

Was the cancer there earlier? Maybe ~ maybe not. I have moved on from the WHY questions, and spend time and energy on what truly matters NOW. Find a good team that you can trust, learn as much as you can about your mom's cancer and treatment options so you can support her in this fight. There are many sites on the Worldwide Worry Web~use them all with CAUTION, get second opinions if you are not comfortable, ask questions and then ask more questions if you have to.

But most of all Love your mom to bits and support her thru this journey. You are an amazing daughter.