Can i get breast cancer while on anasterzole?

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sunsetcity
sunsetcity Member Posts: 12
edited October 2019 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

I had ilc 2 yrs ago. Mastectomy. No chemo. On zoledex and anasterzole. Found a decent sized lump in the other breast...about the size of a nickle or quarter. I didn't think I could get cancer again while on hormonal treatment? So, I'm not too concerned, but still concerned. Called oncologist and they want to examine it.

Any one else have something similar?

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited October 2018

    yes you can still get cancer while on the medication. It reduces your recurrence risk by 50%, but does not eliminate the risk. Definitely insist on imaging.

    Hoping it is benign. Keep us posted

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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited October 2019

    Hi there. Hoping you get benign results. However just for educational purposes you can still get a recurrence or a new primary while on anti hormone therapy. As stated above it reduces your chances by 50 percent. Good luck and keep us posted.

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  • sunsetcity
    sunsetcity Member Posts: 12
    edited September 2019

    Hi...it's been a while. So, the lump I found last year, which is still there and fairly large, was said to be nothing.Thank goodness! However, in June i noticed another new new lump, similar to an almond, similar in feel to the original bc lump found on the other breast that was removed 3 yrs ago.

    I know that I am getting older, and breasts change naturally over time. In addition I lost about 20 lbs which probably is affecting the general make up of my breast allowing me to notice more normal lumps...and I,m still on anastrozole. Right? This is nothing?

    My annual mamo is scheduled for the end of October....which they postponed 2x.. But when they called last week to postpone it again - I shared my newly found almond shaped lump. Now, they want to see me earlier. However, over the weekend I have rationalized in my mind that this new almond lump is nothing to be concerned with...and feel silly about evening mentioning it to the doc.

    I feel like I can be up and down...to worry or not to worry? But regardless of my worry state...it's not going to change what this new lump is...so I know I shouldn't worry.

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  • Gussy
    Gussy Member Posts: 115
    edited September 2019

    Any new lump anywhere deserves attention and assessment. Better safe than sorry.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited September 2019

    I agree that any new lump deserves attention. I'm glad they're getting you in sooner. Keep us posted. Cnograts on losing weight. Hoping the lump is benign.

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  • sunsetcity
    sunsetcity Member Posts: 12
    edited September 2019

    Hello.

    I had a mamo and targeted US today. Both showed nothing but very dense breasts. I should be elated, but have the weird sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that something is wrong. I cried all the way home. My original cancer was ILC ...and multi-focal (5 tumors in total on the left breast - 4 of which only showed on an MRI, 1 on the US and NONE on the mamo)

    I know ILC hides, is sneaky, and spreads differently than IDC. This is going to sound harsh....but I felt as though the US tech brushed off the US...as it was done so very quickly...like in 30 seconds or so? I felt as though she wasn't even looking for anything? As if she was looking at the mamo pics...which were up and though to herself the mamo and saw they showed nothing...so she figured there is nothing there to find. Of course she didn't verbalize it and these are only my feelings...it was just the impression/gut feeling I had while in there. Which probably aren't warranted.

    Am I going crazy? Am I nuts? Is fear taking over? Sometimes I really wish I had a double mascetomy....

    Thanks,


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  • FarAwayToo
    FarAwayToo Member Posts: 255
    edited September 2019

    If you are feeling a lump and mammo and US are not finding it, I would go through your oncologist to order an MRI. Did you show the lump to the tech? When they can feel what you are feeling, they try to find what they are feeling with a transponder.

    Not your situation, but I had BMX with implant reconstruction and have multiple small lumps that everybody can see and feel. I had 2 US, and only 1 of them found 2 of those 4 or 5 lumps I have, and identified them as undissolved sutures. I asked for MRI, and MRI confirmed that other lumps are sutures as well, also found sutures in another breast where I'm not feeling anything.

    MRI is a gold standard in breast imaging, especially in dense breast and for ILC. Please insist on having that done.


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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited September 2019

    I'd definitely request MRI. Get answers.

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  • maryland
    maryland Member Posts: 1,298
    edited September 2019

    Yes, for sure insist on an MRI! I had mammograms every year from 40 to 56 and every single one came back stating, "very dense breast with no abnormalities noted." I had a mammogram in Sept 2013 and in February 2014 realized my nipple was inverted but only when I put my arms up over my head. Turns out I had ILC with 10 positive lymph nodes, grade 1 so slow growing. My breast surgeon said it didn't develop overnight, had to have taken years. She said trying to find a lump with breast that dense was like looking for a bottle cap in muddy water. My 50 year old niece has very dense breast and is not even getting mammograms, they just do an MRI every year, and by law in our state (ohio) the insurance company has to cover it. Go with your gut, get am MRI, if your gut is wrong...FANTASTIC!!!! Good luck!

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  • sunsetcity
    sunsetcity Member Posts: 12
    edited September 2019

    Thank you so much ladies for all the support and suggestions about an MRI. So, to follow up, I sent a message through the online system to the nurse practioner asking her to forward to the dr. (as I was unable to message the dr. directly?) I also stated my uneasiness with how the ultrasound was done, and asked why even do a mammogram given the nature of my cancer (ILC, sneaky, doesn't show up on mammograms).

    She informed me that the gold standard for finding breast cancer was the mammogram, and their facility has the best imaging. She is going to forward my message to the dr. She did offer to set up an appointment to come in and talk with the dr directly if it would make me feel better. It's been 2yrs since I've seen an actual breast doctor. They have the nurse practioners perform the breast exams and order imaging when someone calls in with a pallitable lump - that is not part of the yearly scheduled mammogram appointment.

    I must admit...she didn't even acknowledge that ILC grows different, hides and is a sneaky cancer that doesn't show up on mammograms until a much later stage. And it tends to be bilateral. I did call another organization and ask for a second opinion...second breast exam with a breast doctor. Not sure if they will order their own imaging or not. A new set of eyes, from a different organization I think will help.

    Anyway, thank you again for your support and advice.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited September 2019

    So glad you are getting a second opinion.

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  • sunsetcity
    sunsetcity Member Posts: 12
    edited October 2019

    Hello all.

    Thank you again for your encouragement and support. I got a second opinion, they did another ultrasound. This one found a breast cyst. The tech said the radiologist was going to discuss/suggest a breast MRI - given my history of lobular cancer. I felt so much better about this ultrasound, how it was done, and how she took her time and truly looked for something. I am very appreciative for it. I am feeling better, less anxious, and relieved having the second opinion and second ultrasound.

    Thank you again ladies.

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  • Spoonie77
    Spoonie77 Member Posts: 925
    edited October 2019

    So glad that you were able to get a 2nd opinion! Hope a MRI will give you peace of mind going forward and all is just a cyst.

    Not sure what age you are but having dense breasts myself and being 42 my MO has me on alternating imaging....3D mammo and then 6 months later breast MRI. It seems to be fairly common or increasingly at many centers. There are studies that show its increased effectiveness for women with breast cancer hx and dense breasts.

    Keep us posted on what comes next. Good luck.

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  • sunsetcity
    sunsetcity Member Posts: 12
    edited October 2019

    Thank you. I just turned 50. Cancer was diagnosed at 46. Given the nature of my dense breast and the ILC cancer type, I do think that that an MRI would show any cancer hiding better than the mamo or us. I am wondering why they haven't ordered it in the past, but am grateful for the 2nd opinion and his suggestion to order the MRI. I am also on the Zoledex infusion and anastrozole, which i know lowers the chances of the cancer coming back...but still feel like it could come back, or even a new cancer in the other breast. thank again for listening. They called today to ask what days work best for me with an MRI. Should be hearing back shortly.

    Thank you again.



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