Newly diagnosed at 38 with family history

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Mecsmama
Mecsmama Member Posts: 20
edited November 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving. The last few weeks have been a little surreal. Since I lost my mother to breast cancer when she was 47 I went in for my first mammogram this year instead of waiting until 40. They found some small micorcalcifications that the radiologist felt needed to be biopsed. The biopsy showed DCIS so I was sent to the breast surgeon. At this point it looked like the area of DCIS was small and I was likely going to need a lumpectomy and radiation. The breast surgeon ordered an MRI and gamma imaging. The MRI showed one that the area of DCIS looked much larger than they thought and two there was a small nodule he was concerned about. He ordered a second biopsy and on Tuesday I was told that the nodule is indeed malignant and my new diagnosis is invasive ductal carcinoma. The nodule is small about 6mm. Surgery will be scheduled soon. He wants to do it in the next three or four weeks. He has recommended a bilateral mastectomy because of my age and my mom's history. The right one can not be saved because the DCIS is so large. I am also waiting for my genetic testing to come back. I won't know anymore until I have surgery. He will do a biopsy of the nodes to see if any cancer has spread. He also said he will want to do an oncotype test. So here I am. Just wanted to reach out to others who know what I am going through.

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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited November 2014

    Mecs,

    Damn and double damn. I am so very sorry that you needed to find us here on bco.org. Sounds like your medical team is being extra cautious given your family history which is a good thing.I am not going to give you a ton of advice... what you need most is to breath. But, may I suggest a three-ring binder or folder to keep all of your medical reports? There will be a lot of them. Things will move fast for a bit, and then they won't. If you don't understand anything at all that comes out of a doctor's mouth, make them clarify. If any of your medical team make you uncomfortable, find another specialist. Find space to mourn, to scream, to do whatever helps you find your center. This diagnosis sucks. But tens of thousands of other women have heard those same words. Most of us make it to the other side, and you can too.

    Use every bit of this website to get you through to that other side. This is a group of compassionate and bright women [for the most part.] Their experiences can make your "journey" easier.

    Be well, and Happy Thanksgiving.

    *susan*

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  • labelle
    labelle Member Posts: 721
    edited November 2014

    I also lost my mother to breast cancer, so sorry for your loss and I do get the surreal feeling, totally.

    However, genetic tests showed me not to have any known hereditary type of breast cancer. The treatment that is being recommended to you is what was recommended to me ONLY IF BRCA 1 or 2 or other genetics tests showed a hereditary link. Basically the reason both my mother and I had breast cancer had nothing to do w genetics. It took about 10 days to get my BRCA 1-2 tests results back. Hold tight for those results, if negative your recommended treatment may change, mine was quite dependent on the test results. You've got time to decide after you get the results. Between testing (genetics testing and oncotype dx testing-this was done w material from the stereoscopic biopsy-and if possible I suggest you ask it to be done for you too) waiting for results and getting first and second surgical opinions (definitely get a second independent opinion), I did not have my surgery until 1 1/2 months after my diagnosis but I'm very glad I waited and took the time needed to get all the info I necessary to make good choices.

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