2nd breast cancer after 11 yrs and concerned
Hi. I have bc again after 11 yrs. After comparing both tumors it is inconclusive as to whether this is a new primary or local recurrence. I am taking it harder this time and keep having these thoughts that I will always have to deal with cancer and it will never be out of my life. The 1st time I was 28 and now I am 39 with two children and I am concerned for them. Do women do okay after getting it again?
Comments
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Hi. I just read your post and I am so sorry that you have to go through this again. Is your bc on the same side as the last time? I first got bc at age 35, IDC, left side. Then, six years later (2006), IDC, right side. I am doing fine now, but I have been through alot!! Have you had genetic testing? After the second bc, I decided to have it done. I found out that I am BRCA 1. It just made me say, "well that explains alot". Really didn't change anything else. I am sending you a huge cyber hug.....hang in there. You did this once, you can do it again.
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Hi. Thanks for your positive words. It was on my same side but away from the lst one. I tested negative for brca 1 and 2. For some reason it has hit me harder this time. I am glad to hear you are doing well. That is what I need to hear - that we can be okay if it happens again. I am not trusting my body right now.
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HI Girls, I have a friend who has survived 2 bouts with BC in about a 10 year span. She is doing great. She has 2 daughters who are all grown up now. She is my inspiration. SHe said she never adjusted her diet or exercise...she just lived her life. She always has a smile on her face and I love her.
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I got it in the other breast 28 years after the first one. Had a mastectomy the first time, a lumpectomy last year. So far so good. I know it is a shock to get it again -isn't once enought? Stay strong, we are all with you----
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My cousin had BC twice -- once at 28 years old, once at 33 years old. She just turned 40, and is the mom to a beautiful daughter that she adopted three years ago. Life is good for her, and cancer-free.
Not fair to have to deal with this beast more than once......I'm very sorry you received this news.
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Hi - I am doing "okay" after getting it again! I was first diagnosed 19 years ago at the age of 34, was successfully treated with a lumpectomy, rads and chemotherapy and have been followed annually since then. At this year's mammo (in November) DCIS and a new primary IDC were discovered. Since it was in the same breast and I couldn't do rads again on the same side, I had to have a mastectomy and opted for a bilateral. Twice in one lifetime is enough and even though I am BRCA negative, there is clearly something going on in me that causes me to develop breast cancers. I am currently almost halfway through my chemo.
It sucks, but I am finding it easier this time. The first time I had to learn everything about breast cancer - this time I knew just about everything so there wasn't such a scary learning curve. I've also learned a lot about coping in the past 19 years - mostly by watching the grace with which so many of the other women I've known who have had bc have handled it.
I maintain a blog - not about breast cancer specifically but I did "announce" my condition on it in a humorous way - which is how I cope - to my friends because it was easier than repeating my story a zillion times. If you'd like to take a peek, it's at http://www.joanoliveremmer.com/?p=552. are all here for you. If you'd like to stay in touch and travel this journey together I'd like that too.
Joan in New Jersey
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I never even completed my treatment for my first diagnosis of IDC and DCIS before my second dx which was IBC. But, I have now been NED for 2-1/2 years. Keep the faith!
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Hi zillamom
Sorry you are having to deal with BC again and you are not alone. I had lumpectomy on 4 Jan 2010 after neoadjuvant chemo for triple negative IDC. Cancer found in opposite breast Oct 2011 so bliateral mastectomy Dec 2011. I had genetic testing and was found to have a mutation in BRCA 1 of 'unknown significance' but my oncologist thinks I should regard myself as BRCA1 +. It's hard having to deal with BC again zillamom but it happens and there are lots of women who live long and happy lives afterwards. For whatever reason you, like me and others, have breast tissue with a propensity to develop breast cancer. Wishing you all the best with your treatment. Karen X
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Thank you all for your responses. I am trying to feed in positive thoughts and stories as much as possible. I had a lumpectomy, chemo, rads last time. I did do tamoxifen for 1.5 yrs but got off of it with onc permission to have a baby. This time I had a bmx with diep reconstruction two weeks ago and start chemo again this thursday. I will have 2nd stage recon after chemo and will be on tamoxifen. Onc said my choice to either remove ovaries or take lupron. Thanks again for responding. : )
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Had cancer in my right breast in 2004. They just discovered DCIS in the left. Hear tomorrow on the recommended treatment plan. Very nervous
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Hi Patti - just read your post. I'm also a second timer. How's it going?
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To all second timers.....saw my radiologist last Friday...he told me we cured it the first time and will do the same this time. Just love his positive outlook,
Have surgery scheduled for Thursday...lumpectomy..and also the sentinel node biopsy. This will be followed by radiation...no chemo unless the pathology shows something other than DCIS.
Patti -
Hi there, my mom got 1st BC( ductal +classic lobular type,ER +) in 2004 treated with mastectomy,chemo,radio and hormonal therapy.Now after 7years she has developed second primary in the contralateral breast, diagnosed as pleomorphic lobular carcinoma with 2 nodes positive.I got some courage after reading above messages.Please do share your treatment option for PLC and prognosis.
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Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed this spring with recurrent inoperable BC in the nodes on the same side as my mastecomy 19 years ago. My oncologist simply told me she would treat it palliatively (letrozole), and that I could expect to go to Stage 4 by December. Yikes!
I opted to go to a Naturopath and get intravenous Vit C and Glutathion treatments - I have a girlfriend with lymphoma who recommended this. Since I was facing a radically shortened retirement anyway, I decided to spend the money - even if the only effect was to help me deal with the stress and grief.
Now I emphatically cannot say what has contributed to my current situation; but my last CT scan showed no mets, and significant node regression - now 15%, 24% and 35% of what they were at diagnosis. My onc calls the results "amazing" and is pretty sure I can now have surgery.
I haven't told her about my alternative treatments as she absolutely doesn't believe in them. Who knows - she could be right. All I know is I have been feeling terrific, my attitude is very positive and I had a marvellous scan.
So along with everyone else's heartening stories, here is one more. We will all get whatever this disease has in store for us, and we can't know in advance. One day at a time, and remember to be grateful for the gift of life we have had.
I remember this lesson when I remind myself that I was free of cancer for 19 years, 2 years longer than my brother's daughter lived in total. Puts things in perspective.
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