Bios of BC Survivors

My name is Sandy; I'm from Ohio; age 51.

I have a supportive husband (thank God), two grown children, two dogs and two cats.

First time diagnosed August, 1986 at age 34. No family history. Found lump myself.

IDC, 2.2 cm, moderately differentiated, neg. nodes, -ER/-PR

Right mastectomy, 6 treatments CAF, then 2 treatments CMF, opted out of last 4 due to depression.

3 months Tamoxifen (I did okay on it, but couldn't afford it at the time and didn't think was necessary due to neg. hormone status.)

No problems until....

August, 2002 Found lump in left breast. (Hey Julia, I didn't want to play this game again either!!! Said lots of bad words, shed a few tears, didn't help, lump was still there, so...back on bc treadmill.

IDC, 1.6 cm, poorly differentiated , -ER/-PR, -Her-2/Neu

4/23 nodes positive (just found that out two days ago)

Mastectomy 10-8-02
Will see medical oncologist 10-31-02

Don't know what poison, I mean life-saving drugs I'll get this time.

Three big differences between 16 years ago and now:

1. The only anti-nausea drugs were Compazine and Ativan. A shot of Compazine delayed the vomiting for 8 hours (once it started it lasted for 24 or more hours). The Compazine pills did nothing but make me woozy. The Ativan helped reduce the vomiting, but it affected me so strongly, I felt like a space cadet. I couldn't stand being so out of it, so I only took it for two treatments. I honestly preferred the vomiting (I'm not making that up). I'm looking forward to trying these newer anti-nausea meds (in a manner of speaking).

2. There are so many more resources now than before. That helps a lot!

3. These discussion boards are wonderful!! It helps so much to read your posts. The support and comfort you ladies offer is amazing. There was no support group available for me the first time. The few times I was able to talk to another bc survivor it was so helpful, but no one was every around in the wee hours of the morning when I really needed to talk or vent. I had a lot of supportive friends and family, but they simply had no idea what it was like.

Since I had to come back in the game again, thanks, everybody, for making it a little easier. God bless all of you!

Hi My name is Judy and I live in South Florida. We have 3 grown children and 4 grandchildren. I am 54 dx. at 53

I was diagnosed with IDC on 2/07/02 using mammotone core biopsy after two suspicious areas were found on my annual mammo on 1/18/02. Following an MRI it was discovered that I had 5 tumors and finally the pathology report following my MRM there were 6 tumors found along with DCIS.

ER/PR neg. Her2/Neu pos. Poorly differentiated tumors with "bridging" from one tumor to the other. Needless to say my case was pretty unusual. They staged me IIIA because the area involved was 6cm even though my biggest tumor was only 1.2cm. Node involvement was limited to only 1 and it was partial pos.

Involved in a clinical trial which included 6 cycles of Taxotere and Carboplatin with weekly infusion of Herceptin. Currently getting triple dose of Herceptin only, every 3 weeks and will continue for one year from beginning which will bring my treatment to an end in May of 2003. Thank goodness I have no side effects from this "miracle" drug.

My onc. has also recommended rads but I'm not sure I want to go there.

I have an expander in place but have not completed inflation nor do I know when the reconstruction will be completed. I think it will depend on whether or not I do the rads.

I am two months post chemo and it's time for all the tests. Mammo and ultrasound, Abdominal CT scan, Pelvic sonogram, Pet Scan and my very favorite Colonoscopy. My onc. is in overkill. But a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.

I really need all of this to just disappear.

Love and prayers to all.

My Name is Gwen; 42 yrs; live in Oakdale, CA

Found lump by BSE 6/5/02

DX on June 19, 2002
2.1 CM on my left breast
positioned at 1 o'clock

Path report of BIOPSY 6/13/02
Poorly differentiated infiltrating ductal carcinoma

Oncologist says:
4 treatments of A/C 8/5/02
8/26/02
9/16/02
10/7/02 DONE!
30 treatments of radiation.

Radiation on November 6.

No history of BC, I'm the first.

Grade III
No ductal carcinoma in SITU indentified
Focally angiolymphatic invasion indentified
Resection margine are free of Neoplasm
Tumor is 2MM from nearest margin

LUMPECTOMY/Lymph Node Dissection Report:

No Residual Carcinoma Present
No evidence of metastatic disease in 20 NODES

ER negative
PR negative
Her-2/neu did not exhibit over-excretion

All my body hair fell out, except my lip hair. Hair is starting to come back in now, just 2 weeks after last chemo.

Life is good, and I am blessed.
Gwen

Hi - My name is Chris, I am 52yrs & live and play in St. Louis. Married with 4 grown children. Waiting to meet the grandbabies.
Dx 8/13/02 - IDC 1.5cm ER & PR +
Lumpectomy 8/21/02 & SNB, 1 clear, and 1 pos
no clear margins
Reincision on 9/6/02 clear margins achieved
Full Axillary disection 9/29/02 13 nodes taken all clear!

4 rounds of A/C - started 10/16/02 to be followed by taxotere and radiation.

I met my surgeon for the first time on 8/5/02. Just a wonderful, compassinate and caring man. Felt so emotionally attached to him as he was the one who told me of the cancer and gave me much needed hope that I will be just fine, and he assured me that he would help me get through all of this. He explained everything to me and how cancer treatments are much better than years ago, and that if I had to get cancer, this was probably the best kind to get, in that so much more is known about breast cancer today. A day before my reincision on 9/5/02 this wonderful angel was killed in a car accident. How I miss him. But now I really feel that I truly do have an angel on my shoulder. He is still helping my get thru this only in a different way.

When I start feeling sorry for myself, or wonder WHY ME (again & again) I think of him, and wonder why the good Lord took someone as dedicated as he was. He was a good, good man. So this cancer is not going to get the best of me. I'm going to get thru this, just like he said I would.

(((hugs to all))))
Chris

Well I'm 50 (haven't said that often yet!) was Dx at 47 1/2. No family history.

Went for routine sonogram (several months after mammogram) walked out having had core needle biopsy and probable Dx. Dx confirmed next day. Talk about terror. I think the terror grips like the vise of a mammogram and then it lightens but can re-tighten real fast.

Had lumpectomy 7 mm tumor - mostly invasive some in situ - clear margins - and SNB - was one of the "lucky ones" with a false negative - where tissue staining of the SN showed cancer so had axillary dissection -15 other nodes clear- and re-excision just for good measure. Worst day of my life was day that path report was delivered badly by a substitute surgeon. Immediately after Dx, it feels like a downward roller coaster with more bad news each minute, but eventually we go back uphill.

Had 4 A/C. A/C put me into menopause. Then 30 Radiation. Have been on Tamoxifen almost 2 years. No problems xc one episode of spotting which meant one endometrial biopsy - those hurt btw if you haven't had one, but take 2 seconds. No lymphedema yet but used to worry about it a lot.

Have had many follow-up check-ups-still anxious about 'em. Felt really good to reach 2 yr post-Dx anniversary.

Had to go on Fosamax for a while (osteopoenia - this side of osteoporosis) but was just taken off because I improved.

So now: Swim almost every day, Feel great, Many good trips, Much joy. Did not have nail problems or mouth sores - how 'bout that metallic taste though? I hated the need for it, but didn't mind the wig. Truly, I have asked very little of my hair since as long as it's there, I'm satisfied. Did some exercise and cont'd working thru treatment. Felt MUCH better a few weeks after rads ended.

Live and lived in NYC with husband & daughter.

Hi I am 51 Surgery on right breast in May 1.5cm snb clear her2 positive+3 have not had any follow up yet still considering options idc nuclear grade 2-3 instu carcinoma component minimal. Posterior margin focally involved in several areas. other margins greater that 5mm (not sure waht that means).

I'm Phyllis, from Palo Alto, CA. My cancer was found at a routine annual mammogram, October 9, 2001. I was 52 (now 53)

10/15/01: excisional biopsy: dx: invasive Ductal carcinoma. Margins not clear enough (surgeon thought they were clean but squished in pathology - she was probably right)

THe day after my diagnosis I got:
Chest xray-neg
bone scan - neg
blood work fine
(if bone scan or chest xray had been positive, surgeon would have skipped lymph node dissection entirely, and gone straight to chemo)

10/29/01: lumpectomy and sampling axillary node dissection (my surgeon would not do just snb, as she had had experiences in which if she had just taken the sentinal node, she would have missed the positive lymph node, so I decided to skip the dye - which some poeple have allergic reactions to). I think they took out 8 lymph nodes and all were clear.

Pathology showed:
ER/PR+, Her2Neu-
Tumor was 6 mm. (unbelievably small to have been discovered)

Radiation: 35 treatments + 5 "boosters" 11/26/01-1/15/02. No side effects at all (it got pretty itchy in the last 2 weeks, and I used a strong cortizone cream a few times)

1/24/02: started Tamoxifen

Have had 3 followup Mammograms and one ultrasound (multiple cysts) and all were negative.

Have had a little arm 'stickiness' from the lymph node dissection scar tissue. Otherwise no problems. I gained weight but I don't think I can blame it on Tamoxifen

Interesting fact: started taking HRT (Comb-patch - combination estrogen and progesterone) in August 2000, and dx was just a little more than a year later. (Stopped HRT when diagnosed).

[This message has been edited by oldermom (edited November 13, 2002).]

Seems like I've been waiting forever for my path results so I could post here. I've read this thread over and over while I waited. Anything to pass the time, right?

My mother died of metastatic BC at age 46 in 1970 (DX 1968). Her cancer and mine are the only ones I know of in the family. Lots of longevity--my dad is 84 and healthy. One grandmother died at 98 and the other at 102! Two older sisters are healthy in their 50s. Both aunts healthy and in their 80s. I'm 48, married with two kids. Didn't have my first child til I was 34. Found first lump in 1991 (age 35). It was B9, but revealed atypical hyperplasia, so was pretty good about yearly mammos thereafter.

Sept. 2004, felt lump in right breast. Was about a month overdue for mammo, so scheduled one for Oct. 14. Knew something was up when the mammo tech wanted additional views and mags of the LEFT breast! Was whisked right into sonogram and then had conference with radiologist who kept saying, "This looks VERY concerning." Saw a general surgeon that afternoon and scheduled lumpectomy for Oct. 20.

Pathology from lumpectomy:
1.3 cm. IDC, grade 1 (well differentiated, low mitotic, etc.), her-2 negative, ER+ (100%), PR+ (95%). No lymphatic invasion noted; margins clean but close with closest being .5 mm.

Nov. 19, second surgery to ensure wide margins and to perform sentinal node biopsy. Cluster of six nodes removed.

Nov. 23, path. report--good margins and all negative nodes! Yahoo!

Will definitely be going for six weeks of rads and will try five years of tamoxifen, but don't know yet about chemo.
I feel sooo fortunate that I had the mammogram when I did. The right breast lump that initially prompted me to go in turned out to be a benign cyst. I never felt the bad little guy in the other breast, but did notice after I found out it was there that when I lifted my arms straight up, my left nipple would invert. It looked perfectly normal when my arms were down.

This Thanksgiving, I've got a whole lot to be thankful for. Hope you all do too!
Martha

And the bios continue-
I'm 27 with no family history. Found my lump in the shower.

Stage one 1.5 cm
ER pos
HER2 +++ (ugh)
grade three cells
8 out of 9 nottinghamm score
suspicous cells in one node but otherwise node neg.
doing Four dose dense AC- just finished my third one
four dose dense taxol
Tamox for five yrs (i'm thrilled. Maybe I can try to get pregnant at age 32, if I still have anything left at that point)
99% convinced that I want a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy with tram reconstruction
I really only want to go through this one time.

My name is Bonny. I live in Phoenix, AZ. I'm 48 years old, married (2nd time) and have one 26-year old daughter who's getting married in March 2005. I ride my own Harley, a 2003 100th Anniversary Special Edition Dyna Wide Glide named Elvis.

I found my lump myslef in mid-September 2004 in my left breast. Lump was in areola right below nipple. Annual mammogram & ultrasond in June 2004 only showed some density.

Lumpectomy 9/29/2004. 1.5 cm, clear margins, Er+/Pr+.

Sentinal node biopsy 10/19/2004. 4 nodes removed all negative.

Started radiation called mammosite (internal tube & balloon) on 11/10/2004. Five days of treatment twice a day.

1st A/C chemo treatment 10/8/2004 via porta-cath in my right jugular. A/C is for 4 doses three weeks apart. No nausea after 1st treatment, just a little queasy.

PET scan showed uptake on several vertebra. MRI's still be performed. Possibly bone mets. Won't know until 12/29/2004. Happy New Years!

Been told that after chemo that I will be on Tamoxafin for 5 years. But, by mid-February, there will probably be some other new drug to take.

No history of bc in family for many generations. My sister is an avid genealogist. I'm the first. Oh lucky me.

I am working full-time through all of these Dr appointments & treatments.

I'm playing to win.

Hi all,
I'm here for my mom. I just found this thread. Have been here for a year even though my mom had her initial diagnosis 19 years ago.

At that time, she had a modified radical masectomy, 10 out of 18 lymph nodes involved, er+. She was given a 50/50 chance survival. She had one year of 5FU. (It was so long ago, I don't even remember what that stands for). Had no recurrence until last year at the ago of 60. She has several mets to the bone.

This time she had 6 rounds of adriamycin/taxotere. Then 2 tx of taxol. Her counts were so low, she had to take a break. After a 6 week break, her tumor markers went back up to where they were before tx. (2300). Her bone mets are less HOT. Something is up though (at least we think) so she is having a ct and we go back to find out what to do next.

So there we have it. She is in the fighting mode. Hopefully they find the right med for her.
Shelly

Hi. My name is Ursela. I live in Central Florida and I am 39.

On 11/29/04 based on biopsy alone, I learned that I had BC. 3.5 months months prior, I went to the OB-GYN due to a clear excretion of the right breast upon waking. Pituitary gland bloodwork showed normal. The right side had grown to nearly double the size of the left, with stretch mark striations, obvious skin thickening, a feeling of mass within and unable to sleep on my belly due to discomfort/pain.

Initial Onc Diagnosis (12/3/04): FNA and sonographic core biopsies in multiple locations showed 3 locations were positive. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (grade 2 of 3), nottingham histologic score 7/9 points, with all 5 cores of tumor affected and lymphatic invasion. The in situ carconoma is high grade with central comedonecrosis. Other area, 2 of 3 cores affected. Largest tumor measuring 2.0cm. Stage IIB/IIIA.

ER+/PR-

Later Onc Diagnosis (12/20) based on CAT Scan (lesions within liver), Bone Scan (diffuse metastatic disease in thoracic spine, sacrum, both sacroilic joints, multiple ribs), and MRI (indetminate lesions in liver, metastatic disease within lumbar spine, sacrum, pelvis, and femurs); Stage IV.

Treatment: 2 years of Taxol with a cycle of 3 weekly, 1 week off. Assess progress after 8 weeks and modify chemo as necessary.

My name is Tracy,
I was diagnosed at the age of 27, on December 7, 1999.

12/3/04 - Biopsy of what was thought to be a Fibroadenoma
12/7/04 - Pathologist calls surgeon to confirm age, thinks there's a mistake.
12/7/04 - Called by surgeon, and asked to come in and bring someone with me.
12/7/04 - Diagnosis:
9mm IDC
Grade I/II
ER+/PR+
1 margin affected
12/22/04 - Re-excision and lymph node removal
14 nodes removed, all negative
clean margins
02/2000 - 04/2000 - Radiation (31 treatments)
04/2000 - 10/2001 - Tamoxifen
10/2001 - Stopped Tamoxifen to get pregnant (planned pregnancy)
05/2002 - Conceived my son
01/24/03 - My beautiful son Zachary was born
12/7/04 - 5 years of cancer survivorship, and still NED

Hi -- My name is Kelsey, and I'm 51. I was diagnosed last year (2004) in February with IDC, grade 1, but it was 2.5 cm. Surprise surprise, 3 of 9 nodes involved. (Everyone was a little surprised because it was a grade 1, very orderly looking cells in tumor.) So far, so good.

I want to add a post in here as I feel it is important for others to hear about survivors. I was diagnosed at the age of 33 and had a 6 week old baby. I found my lump pea size when I was 7 months pregnant. It was thought to be a blocked milk duct, however on my 6 week checkup, although not breastfeeding for two weeks the lump now the size of a golf ball was not going. I had two options, one to keep track of the lump over a 6 month period, two to have it removed and tested, t.g. I opted for the latter. Yes it was cancer (moderately differentiated infiltrating ductal carcinoma extending to the biopsy margin.3 day after the lumpectomy I underwent a full mastectomy, followed by Icyclophosphomide, methotrexate and 5FU chemo) every 3 weeks for 8 sessions, I had negative hormone receptors. I spend a lot of time in the b.c. chat room as a survivor to give hope to other newly diagnosed people. I soooo wish there had been puters around back when I had my cancer as you guys are so well informed and have a great resource to explore your options. After my chemo I had a silicone implant for it's lifespan of 10 years, then had a tram flap using my stomach tissue. 3 years after chemo I had my second daughter. My baby who was 6 weeks old at the time of my cancer journey turned 16 a few weeks ago, I made her my reason to beat this disease. Although a positive person by nature, it was nesecary for me to do a lot of positive reading and talking to myself during that time. For all those who ask if there a normal life after the ops/treatments etc, yes there is, just keep a positive mind, know and want to stay at the top of that rollercoaster, and dance like there is no tomorrow. Love and prayers to you all kathy