Size of my tumor

I agree Mamhop, I have always been told I had dense breasts, starting having mammo's at 35, then at 40 had mammo's and ultra sounds every 6 months, they saw calcifications but said they would just keep an eye on them, my last ultra sound in Aug they said nothing's changed see you in 6 months! If it hadn't been for the radiologist's ASSISTANT, who, once he left the room suggested an MRI with contrast who knows what would have happened........I think MRI with contrast should be mandatory for people who are told for years they have dense breasts.

MOB's, mamhop is right, you won't know actual size until after surgery, mine was supposted to be 0.8mm according to the biopsy and MRI but ended up being 1.1 with DCIS in the mix also, so don't worry!

L

Mom,

I know it's hard not to worry, but when you read these posts you'll find that there are many women with tumors larger than yours, with lymph node involvement (and other factors) that are doing well many years out.  Just do what you need to do, stay focused, and make sure you are satisfied with your oncology/treatment team.  Your treatment is very individual, so it's important to stay focused on you.  One day at a time...

Bobbie

Mom-

Tumor size is not the whole story. The fact that you are a grade 1 is very good. Your tumor may be larger, but it may be a "gentle giant". - A little larger than some but not necessarily more agressive.

My mom is a good example. She had a large 6.2cm  tumor, a single mast and no other treatment. Now 28yrs later, she is alive and well at 85.

Best wishes

Julie  

Everyone,

Just asked a friend who is a radiologist at a breast center (not in my town or else she'd be reading my films) and she tells me that it is "common" for the MRI to read larger than the US measurement.  She reminded me that we will only know for certain at surgery (yeah, tell me something I don't already know...) but that she'd be inclined to go with the US measurements as being the more accurate of the 2 measurements taken.

Mom_of_boys: Just thought that might make you feel a bit better.  I know *I* feel comforted by it!

Michele

I live to serve. 

Hi - I am in the UK and have just been dx with a 3.4cm tumour despite regular mamo's.  I was told this is because I have dense tissue and having spoken to the prof who saw me first and other docters, including my general doc, all have said that mamo's are a waste of time for a lot of women.  Why was I not told that I had dense tissue and that I should take extra care and attention when self examining!  Had I known I would have demanded an ultra sound or 'invented' lumps to make them give me an ultra sound.  My gen doc said mamo's are a waste of time and also dangerous because women believe that if they are having mamo's they are safe and that is SO  not the case.On the mamo they did when I went in with the lump it still didn't show up despite being quite large!  I am now beating a drum over here to make sure every woman I know understands this and that they should ask how effctive their own mamo's are and if they are concerned to ask for an ultra sound. It  makes you so angry cos my tumour could have been found much earlier if I had just been told the problem with my mamo's.  Good luck to everyone x

My BS and onco both say tumor biology trumps tumor size, although size is a factor.  I had 2 tumors next to each other (with spiculated margins) and they measured them as one which gave me the 2.6cm, had they chosen to measure only the larger one as some pathologist do, I would have been stage I instead of stage IIa.  It seemed kind of large to me but both of my docs talked about how a .4mm tumor with aggressive biology is more dangerous than a larger tumor that is less aggressive, that is why understanding tumor biology is becoming more and more important in diagnosis and treatment.  I've got boys too, and after going through all of this with me, I think they will be great husbands!

My tumor didn't show up on the mammo either but was found on the us.  I have fibrocystic breasts so it is hard to do breast exams (they always feel lumpy to me).  I have a stage 1 tumor (or so I think).  Is what you are saying that you don't really know what the size is until the surgery?  So that means that someone who is a stage 1 could really be a stage 2 when the tumor is measured after it is taken out???  So, I can now worry more??? 

Hi Wiggy, the other improvement would be digital mammograms and not every facility has them, but they sure are a lot clearer than the regular ones.

Glad yours was found.  We are our own best advocates.  cheers! 

My MRI was pretty close.  It was read on the MRI at 1.3 cm but ended up at 1.2cm.  I think they were hoping it would be under 1 cm because all along they told me lumpectomy and rad.  Now I am doing CMF as my chemo.  Onco was a 15.  Chemo isn't too bad, just makes you tired. 

Hi Simone...I had a large tumor too and had joint and shoulder pain. The shoulder and hip pain turned out to be early arthritis and the more recent joint pain is due to the anti-hormonal medication I'm on. I used to worry about mets too but at least so far it's all been due to something else. Hope yours is the same!! What does your family doctor say? By the way, the hip and shoulder pain were before surgery and treatment so not related to that (except in my mind at the beginning - but I am sure that is normal)!

Hi, My tumor did not show up on the mammogram or ultrasound. For I have IBC and this is common. One thing too is IBC does not come in a lump. When they did my mastectomy they removed a 12.5cm tumor. I am alive. I did chemo first to see if they could shrink it, but the chemo did not work. Then they did surgery. I am at stage 3B. You will do fine and know that we care about you on the board and are here to support you. Good luck and keep us posted please.

Blessings; Elizabeth