How to choose my treatment?

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dumfound
dumfound Member Posts: 3
edited August 2016 in Just Diagnosed

At 66, I had been healthy and fit. Almost never sick. I run 30 miles a week at the speed of 7 mph and my diet is high in fruits and vegetable. Both my parents came from family of longevity. But my world fell apart on July 15 when I felt a lump the size of 1.8 cm on my breast. In two weeks the lab had told me that it's cancer. Yet I had a wellness exam from my physician on Jan 30 and my previous mammogram was Sep. 2015 (It did not find cancer. But it said my breasts were 'EXTREMELY DENSE'). This whole thing happened so fast.

I just had a lumpectomy, and am waiting for the pathology result. My breast surgeon said if the cancer has not spread to my lymph nodes, I only need to have radiation treatment. But what if the cancer cells already spread and they are simply too small to be detected? Would mastectomy plus chemo be a surer way to kill all the cancer cells? It only takes a SINGLE cancer cell to spread cancer to my lymph nodes, my blood and my organs. I don't want to subject the rest of my life to fear, frequent test, and treatments.

I have been feeling ear aches for three weeks - the kind of feeling from airplane landing, but a lot milder. I also feel a bit stomach ache after running and eating. Could the cancer cells have spread over there? Or I am just too nervous?

I am scared, and would like to know your experience and your choice of treatments. Thanks.







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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited August 2016

    Hi there. So sorry you have to be here but welcome to the forum. I know you will find it both comforting and informative. To start the reason the lump didn't show up on the mammo is probably because your breasts are dense. Also if you have not had a breast MRI, I would urge you to do so. It is the best screening tool for dense breasts. You didn't mention what your receptor status is. Are you estrogen/progesterone and Her2 positive? This will further determine treatment. There is also a test called the Oncotype which helps to decide if you need chemo or not. How big was your tumor? All these factors are important to now and make it easier for you to decide on treatments. Good luck and keep us posted. Please feel free to private message me if you want to talk more details...

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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited August 2016

    Bless your heart we all feel your pain. There are no answers why you drew the unlucky card. For women with your healthy lifestyle it just doesn't add up but unfortunately doctors are at a loss to explain why other than family history why some women develop the disease. My sister, SIL and I fall into the genes category but even then that is alow % of women afflicted with BC.

    The fear factor is normal and frightening of course.

    The Path report will tell you a lot. Not trying to scare you even more but my BS didn't think I had lymph node involvement either but after that report came back I had a micromet in my SN. He was surprised. I was devastated.

    Since it was small my Oncologist ordered the Oncotype test for me. Thank God she did. I dodged chemo because my score was low and my tumor was determined to be non-aggressive.

    I had 33 Rads treatments. Not bad at all for me. Bit of burning and fatigue. That's it. I take Tamoxifen but that will end this month.

    I think we all will always look over our shoulders because we have the C word but believe me time does make a difference. I will be 5 years out August 22.

    We think every ache and pain is attributed to our BC spreading. It's hard not to feel that way. I'm willing to bet your stomach issues are your nerves in overdrive. Earaches are very common too but since you got BC you are afraid it might be BC related. That's a normal fear. People who don't have BC don't understand but I really don't expect them to. All you can do is what you are doing. You will be tested and monitored fairly often at first and any changes will be noted and dealt with by your Oncologist.

    The early stages of the process are the hardest but once you get through the treatments it gets better. The unknowns will drive your anxiety level through the roof. Also normal.

    Rely on friends and family for support and this website. It was and is my lifeline. I have made friends from this group of ladies. After all BC doesn't define us.

    Keep us posted and keep the faith. We are living proof you can and will do this.

    Diane

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited August 2016

    unfortunately, no matter what you do, at least the next ten years of your life will involve close monitoring and anti-hormone meds. Chemo is no guarantee that it won't come back, and neither is mastectomy. Chemo comes with its own set of side effects, some types of chemo increase the risk of developing leukemia, some cause heart damage, not to mention neuropathy. The best thing to do is not to over treat. I wish I could have dodged the chemo bullet. My doc told me that they are developing new and better treatments for Breast cancer all the time, and even if I have a recurrence, there will likely be something even better than we have today to deal with it

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