biopsy came back positive and waiting to see Breast Surgeon

timetobebrave - you may want to get a copy of your biopsy pathology results ahead of time so you have a bit more info. I started a binder right away & I had copies of the diagnostic mammograms, the radiology reports and the biopsy documents. I had a good idea of the size and type of tumor, and thus the probable course of action the surgeon would recommend before we went in for the appointment. Of course it was good to hear his explanation as well but mostly he was just confirming stuff I already knew, and I felt confident deciding on the next step as I'd already spent time thinking about the possibilities.

In my appointment with the surgeon he examined my breast, my lymph nodes and palpated the liver, went over the preliminary diagnosis & staging (final diagnosis and staging would be done after surgery), talked about surgical options and what he recommended and why, talked about the probable treatments after (these will be decided on by the oncology team after surgery). Then I signed permission forms for the surgery & got a requisition for bloodwork. I had surgery a week later.

Your surgeon might do things differently because of your age or your case or specific circumstances regarding your tumor. Hang in there. The waiting part sucks the most. Be careful googling or you might end up scaring yourself.

I tried to focus on concrete things I could do right now - plan for the healthiest possible me for recovery and prevention of recurrence. I looked at http://foodforbreastcancer.com/ and have been making meal plans which incorporate these guidelines. I also read that single biggest lifestyle change which reduces recurrence is exercise; even though I already exercise, I made specific plans about incorporating more exercise in my life and told everyone in my life that the best thing they can do for me is be active with me. http://www.cmaj.ca/content/189/7/E268.full?sid=0be...

Maybe these might help you too. I just found having something I could try to control - like the diet & exercise - has been important for my mental health....

Another part of the puzzle that is missing is whether the tumor is ER/PR positive or negative and whether it is Her2 positive or negative. Knowing that part will give you info about systemictreatments they will recommend after surgery.

It looks like the tumor is small (most likely stage 1), intermediate grade (grade 2) so not fast growing or aggressive. I would think your surgeon will offer you a lumpectomy plus radiation or you could chose a mastectomy and probably skip radiation.

I had focal lymphovascular invasion. It didn't change my treatment. It's good to know but not something they do anything about. Also, the DCIS doesn't affect your treatment because whatever they do for the IDC takes care of that.

It's a bummer to get a BC diagnosis but from what you've told us so far yours seems to be the most common and easiest to treat.

Just chiming in to agree with Lucky. A BC diagnosis is always a shock but looks like yours was caught early. ER status is a missing piece of data that is important, and of course trusting your surgeon is huge. Expect lots of waiting around and possibly more testing, which is a pain, so this is a good time to book an appointment with a second opinion surgeon or oncologist if that is an option where you live. Best wishes.

I can’t stress enough to take someone with you to your appointments. I missed a lot of stuff at my first appointment with the BS. My husband took it all in, but I’d take notes, or even record it if the doctor has no objection. In fact, if he objects, I think I’d look for another surgeon. At the first appointment the BS laid out all of my choices, all of which had the same survival rate. Then his office made me an appointment with a plastic surgeon, so I had all of the info I needed to make an informed decision.

This looks a lot like my initial diagnosis, which is good. Small, not too aggressive. They will probably want to do a sentinel node biopsy along with the lumpectomy just to make sure nothing has moved into the lymphnodes.

At the surgeons visit he/she will have more information for you. I remember thinking why aren't we going in sooner to get this thing out? No one seemed like they felt the urgency I did.

Good luck. The waiting is hard, I know.

Sorry you are here and waiting for results. I am awaiting a Monday visit to go over mine and it is an anxious time for me. Hugs to you! Did she tell you what type or stage? Or waiting for all the results