Calling large tumour ladies for comfort please .....

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Canavaro
Canavaro Member Posts: 23
edited July 2018 in Waiting for Test Results

it’s been a roller coaster ... one minute I feel fine the next i feel like a puddle of ... no sure what but just like a giant puddle.

I am small breasted ( a large A small B cup. ) and keep kicking myself and wondering how I didn’t feel this giant mass in my stupid boob !!! Mamo and ultrasound put it at 5 cm. It takes up most of my boob!

I know it’s cancer since the birad is 5 ... radiologist noted multifocal or advanced tumor. Frig!!!! Wtf!

Biopsy was yesterday.... told it will take about one week. I have a breast surgeon which I am told is top notch. Butthinking that being here in Saskatchewan Canada I wont get the best care. I don’t have diagnosis yet and I feel like I need to run to a bigger Center. Even though I have been told my breast surgeon Is one of the best in Canada. I guess I just need to wait for biopsy and talk with bs and take it from there.

How did other large tumor ladies handle this???

I go from sacred, mad, calm to scared again!!! And to top it off...little sleep. I know I’m not alone.... wish we could all just hug one another and have this magically go away!



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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited July 2018

    Hi!

    You probably have cancer, but there is a small chance that you don't. So there's that.

    My tumor was also 5 cm. And it was Grade 3. And it was triple positive. And one node tested positive. And....I got treatment in a regional hospital/cancer clinic fifteen minutes from my house.

    I could have driven 45 minutes to go to a university hospital that has a prestigious cancer center. But, I didn't. I was busy working and taking care of my family. I don't think it mattered much. My local cancer center followed the national guidelines and I've received the same treatment I would have gotten at the prestigious cancer center.

    If my cancer metastasized, I would consider the university hospital. But, since I was early stage, I didn't bother.

    Good luck!

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  • TwinkleCat
    TwinkleCat Member Posts: 85
    edited July 2018

    Hi Canavaro -- I also have small boobs, and I thought the same thing! How on earth did I not notice this sooner??? I don't know the exact size of my mass yet, since I didn't get a copy of the radiologist's report (I will ask for it when I go in for my biopsy on Monday) -- but it feels huge! Like it takes up half of my boob! Seemed like it just popped up overnight...

    Out of curiosity, I googled the difference in volume between an A cup and a B cup -- it depends on the band size, but for a size 34, the difference in volume is 80cc, or about 1/3 cup. I know this must sound weird... but now I'm totally curious to know exactly how big this guy is, and how it equates to an impant!

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  • star2017
    star2017 Member Posts: 827
    edited July 2018

    I was shocked that mine was 8cm, grade 3, 4/8 positive nodes.


    I did go to some of the best doctors in the country. We have two university hospital systems within an hour’s drive. I went to the one that was a little closer, but did get a second opinion from the other. They all recommended the same thing

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  • Canavaro
    Canavaro Member Posts: 23
    edited July 2018

    thanks Elaine Therese! It's is good to hear that life does go on ! Thanks .

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  • Cpeachymom
    Cpeachymom Member Posts: 518
    edited July 2018

    Canavaro- I am also small chested, I actually SAW mine before I felt it! And I had a clinical breast exam two months prior, so if she didn’t notice it, I’m not sure I would have. It seemed to come out of nowhere. Don’t beat yourself up.

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  • Canavaro
    Canavaro Member Posts: 23
    edited July 2018

    Twinklecat you actually put a smile on my face talking about googling breast size😁!

    Small breasted large tumor ... crazy right ?!? My tech at the biopsy said ' ya, that is taking up a good portion of your breast '

    The biopsy was not as scary as I thought it would be . I actually told the doctor to ' take as much of this fat bastard tumor ' as she could a she stuck the biopsy needle in me. She took three samples but I told her she was more than welcome to take more!

    Let me know how your biopsy goes on Monday !!! Thinking of you!

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  • Egads007
    Egads007 Member Posts: 1,603
    edited July 2018

    Mine was originally 7, shrunk to 4 with chemo before surgery. High up on the chest so you couldn’t miss it (grew fast)....I felt like mountain guides could have been used on it! Scary stuff indeed. I hit my 5 year point at the end of August, and havent been healthier since my 20s. Hang in there, this is do-able....stay positive that the fat bastard can be beaten, so many of us have. Oh & btw, I’ve seen several birads 5 on these threads turn out benign, crossing my fingers and toes you’re part of that club! Keep us posted! :)
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  • Canavaro
    Canavaro Member Posts: 23
    edited July 2018

    cpeachymom... thanks ...it's hard not to beat yourself up... I guess it's normal to go through the beat yourself up phase! But in the end it doesn't do you any good , does it! Sigh...

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  • Canavaro
    Canavaro Member Posts: 23
    edited July 2018

    star2017 ... thanks for the input . I do plan on second opinions ... in this day and age it should be easy to do .


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  • hapa
    hapa Member Posts: 920
    edited July 2018

    The radiologist who diagnosed me put my tumor at 6cm. Then the biopsy came back negative on the breast but positive on the lymph node. Turns out, the mass was more like 3cm and he missed it. What he thought was cancer was just fibrotic tissue.

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  • Canavaro
    Canavaro Member Posts: 23
    edited July 2018

    egads!!! I totally hear you!!! My left breast is looking rather full ... rather youthful..if it wasn't for the 'fat bastatd' I'd be rather proud of this boob!

    Thanks for the encouragement .. hugs to all !!!!

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  • bella2013
    bella2013 Member Posts: 489
    edited July 2018

    Canavaro, I was in the same place you are last December. I am not small breasted (C cup) but it was right there. My gynecologist found it. I felt so stupid. It was right there! He measured at 5 cm. The diagnostic mammo and US measured it at just over 1 cm (started feeling hopeful). MRI measured it at almost 5 cm. Ugh... I had not had a mammogram in six years...no excuse for that. When I had my biopsy it was pretty obvious to me that the mammo from six years ago and the current mammo.. it was going to be cancer. My family of course was sure that it was going to be benign. I just kept quiet and mentally prepared myself for Stage 4...six years of no mammo what could I expect. When the report came back Stage 1 for a nano second I was relieved that it was only Stage 1...but then the self flagellation began for neglecting my health for so long. My doctor was quick to tell me that there was not anything I could have done to prevent this BC. We caught it early...move on.

    I think a BC Dx comes with guilt...it’s unfounded guilt but we wrestle with it in the early stages of the diagnosis. It is a HUGE waste of emotional energy. Besides it is entirely possible that yours is benign. Your story had not been written yet.

    I completely relate to the mental and emotional gymnastics you are experiencing. That will settle down. It will be great to get a benign report but if you don’t remember taking on this beast is doable. Most important right now is to keep yourself healthy and make sure you sleep well at night even if you need some help to do that.

    I will be praying for benign results. Keep us posted

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  • Dhanno
    Dhanno Member Posts: 104
    edited July 2018

    Hi Canavaro Hope your tumour is benign .My tumour is 2.7 cm after lumpectomy pathology report .I had to go for re excision and will know my status next week .The only problem with big tumours is that even if no lymph node involvement and ER/PR positive the oncologist advises chemo .At least that is what my breast surgeon said . I know the final call will be taken by my oncologist . I had my first mammogram at the age of 46 and tumour was caught .Like you even I used to wonder why my left breast looked so perfect and rounder than the right .Little did I know that that the beast was hiding inside it .

    It is this forum that prevented me from crashing. I by chance stumbled upon it and what a life saver it has been. When you read other people insights and struggles then the loneliness vanishes .Breast Cancer is a medical condition and when we take right treatment we are free from it . I think the moment the lumpectomy or mastectomy report comes with clean margin you are cancer free .Rest treatments are preventive .


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  • Canavaro
    Canavaro Member Posts: 23
    edited July 2018

    Well frig... I’m a tough ass women and now waterfall of tears are gushing as I write this... because perfect strangers actuall give a dam !!! Wow!!! ....I feel you all and feel the kinship! 💕.

    I’ve always been a guarded person, and you all are melting my heart! Thank you to my new dear friends. All of you, I’m humbled and empowered !

    Bella thank you for sharing your story...sleep....yup that would be helpful. I will need to look for some assistance with that. Tried Gaba.( Amino supplement) ...it take the edge off but I have yet to get the deep sleep I’m use to.

    Dhanno....I agree this forum feels life someone threw me a lifejacket as I bob along in what feels like a vast lonely ocean.

    Thank you thank you! I know I can face to fat bastard !

    Still floored by the support! Wow...just wow.


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