bilateral breast cancer

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Boobytrap
Boobytrap Member Posts: 53
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

Hi Ladies,

I'm 18 months out from diagnosis of bilateral breast cancer (1cm in right 5-8m in left I think). Had bilateral mastectomy since small boobs anyway and riddled with DCIS. I'm just posting to see if there are any other ladies out there with syncronous bilateral disease and to find out how you have fared. From what searching I have done, the prognosis isn't necessarily worse, though does seem to be some debate on that issue.

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  • Beckers
    Beckers Member Posts: 1,883
    edited April 2013

    I too was diagnosed with synchronous BC a year ago. I too read about the debate. Still gets me that something caused it in our body, not once, but twice!

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  • ironmagnolia
    ironmagnolia Member Posts: 85
    edited April 2013

    Yes, I too was diagnosed 2 months ago with bilateral breast cancer. I was told it was "rare" by my BS, but I don't really think so.

    I've seen so many on these boards that were diagnosed, then had a 2nd diagnosis a short time later, sometimes in the other breast.  I think it was most likely there all along in the 2nd breast, just not found with our current imaging procedures. Just my opinion.

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  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 232
    edited May 2013

    I was diagnosed with bilateral bc almost 6 years ago. Triple pos., I just finished Arimidex the end of March. Hoping to remain cancer free. I didn't read about the debate re: prognosis, but neither my breast surgeon nor onc ever suggested that I was at increased risk of recurrence because of it. The three oncs I've consulted with over the years have all said the year of Herceptin (in addition to bilat. mast. and chemo) is what gives me the best chance of not having a recurrence. These were also two different cancers--not metastasized--and that is another good thing.

    Hope everyone is doing well.

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  • Boobytrap
    Boobytrap Member Posts: 53
    edited May 2013

    Thanks for the replies. I agree I don't think it is really rare. Especially with MRIs being used to look for disease in the other breast at time of diagnosis. Mine wasn't palpable by my breast surgeon or visible on mammogram, so I guess would have been missed in the olden days.

    It does make me wander what I did to trigger both breasts at once though. I would have thought genetics alone would cause it to happen at different times, but to get the double whammy, just seems like external forces to me.

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