Biopsy Results
 

Last Wednesday I had a core needle biopsy done. They removed 12 samples and I still have a lot of calcifications intact. I was told a marker was put in to pin point where exactly the mass is.

I was just today been diagnosed with DCIS. Good news is she said its pre-invasive cancer. This means it’s confined to the duct and hasn’t spread outside of the duct.

I have an appointment to talk with a surgeon next week, but she says I will probably have a lumpectomy followed by radiation. And because of my increased risk I might have to take Tamoxifen. My mom had breast cancer and my grandmom also had it. Even though I went through these treatments with my mom, I'm confused about my own diagnosis. My mom's was much more aggressive--chemo, radiation and eventually mastectomy with all the side effects.

I am nervous about the invasive part but I trust that the lumpectomy and radiation will do the trick as long as I have clean margins. Then it’s more difficult but I didn’t want her to explain that yet. I’ll be having sentinel node surgery too whatever the heck that is. She told me they’ll do a total lymph node removal if they test positive.

I don’t even know what I’m writing because all these terms mean absolutely nothing to me until I meet with the surgeon next week but I was trying to write as much as I could. I’m just a wreck right now and have to do something to distract myself.

Sending you hugs BJ.

Donna

(((((((((( BJ ))))))))))

It all sounds greek to me.... I wish I had some words of wisdom to help you through all of this...

I hope someone comes along soon who will be able to help you and provide some answers.

:hug:
Abbie

BJ,

I can imagine how you must feel. Keep the faith. I don't understand any of it but will say a prayer for you.

barbara

Sending you strength and positive thoughts. You will get thru this! :hug:

Dear BJ.

I sorry to hear that you did not get better news at the biopsy.

Keep taking one step and one appointment at a time.
Remember that you have time to get a second opinion if it will make you feel better.

Please ask your doc about support groups available to you.
Even if you do not want to go right now, it might be good to know that you have the option to talk to other people going through a situation similar to yours.

M.

Hang in there BJ, you can get through this, that it's still confined to the duct sounds like good news. I agree with Mari, seek out some local support groups if you can. I have been keeping you in my prayers and will continue to BJ. BIg hugs to you hun. :grouphug: :hug:

Oh dear, I guess it is better news then what it could be but certainly stressful, Prayers are being sent. I never knew there were concerne with calcifications and the ducts, no one told me when I had the followups for my digital mamagram and ultra sound to be concerned.

I will read up on it now. I have a calcification, but it is only one duct affected and did not change in size in 30 months.

It must be even more worrisome for you after going through so much with your family. Scary stuff for sure, but lots of prayers are on the way.
di:grouphug:

Dear BJ
 

I'm sorry to hear this news. I know I would be scared.

However the diagnosis you received is one given with very early detection. Things should go well for you. The Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy is to check for the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes in the arm pit. There is another procedure also for this purpose, however it is more invasive.

When you meet your doctor/surgeon ask about the cancer grade/level of aggression in your case, and about Axillary Lymph Node Dissection (the more invasive, standard procedure). The fact that they have chosen to do a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy would suggest to me a lower grade (slow-spreading) cancer, but it doesn't hurt to ask what their reason was for the choice.

Now i am going to pause and send you lots of :hug:s in case you decide you would prefer not to read the rest for now.

:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:

Below, I am going to paste the links/quotes with fuller descriptions of terms and procedures, and you can choose to read or to skip.

hang in there, BJ. you can beat this! :heartthrob:

~ waves ~ sending healing vibes

--------------------------
more information
--------------------------

For everyone, since i had to look it up... DCIS - means Duct Carcinoma In Situ and is generally used to mean the earliest detection of breast cancer. With early detection typically there is a better prognosis. They perform other procedures to ascertain whether there has been any spread.

For more information on all the various aspects of DCIS the full Mayo Clinic article is helpful.

Cited below are full descriptions of the lymph node investigation procedures. The full article has diagrams as well, and is located at:

http://www.cancernews.com/data/Article/202.asp

An alternative source (but no pictures here):
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: Q & A from the National Cancer Institute.

Dear BJ
 

I'm sending ((((((Hugs)))))) your way. BF:hug::hug::hug:

Hang in there, my mom & a SIL both had lumpectomies & radiation in 04 & 05, they are both doing fine.

:hug: BJ :hug:

Keeping you in my prayers, BJ. I'm so relieved they found this so early. You've got lots of prayers and positive thoughts following you here. :hug:

She said if you had to choose which breast cancer you had to get....this would be it. So, I guess I shouldn't be scared. But for some reason, I still am. I’m just terrified that I’ll wake up and part or all of my breast will be gone. I don't want to lose ANY of it!! I mean, we've been together a long time.

My mom did have a very aggressive cancer. She had it in one side, had a mastectomy, then she got it in the other breast. She lived through a hell that I would not want anyone to go through. After seeing my mom go through these treatments I thought I would be more prepared for this. I knew in the back of my mind I would eventually get BC but not now, not yet. I’m grateful my PCP is so on the ball and insisted I get a screening mammo done or else I’d never have known.

I’m now waiting to go to the surgeon Tuesday. Seems like an eternity waiting. The waiting is the hard part, thinking an awful thing is in your body and you want it out. When you are going through this thing you imagine the worst scenario and go from there, I think it allows you to prepare mentally for whatever news you get. I'm going down to the NJ shore, Wildwood, first week of August but if she wants to schedule surgery I just won't be able to go.

This afternoon I’m taking the second part of the CPA exam. I have to put this all out of my mind and concentrate on that.

BJ,
Good luck on the CPA exam.
M.

Dear BJ
 

Thank you for sharing. I am relieved that it is the supposedly least worrisome type of cancer to get... but i do appreciate what you say about having an awful thing in your body and wanting it out. Likewise, however, I would not want to have to part with any bit of myself either so I do feel for you, even if you will be "ok."

Now... for the CPA exam this afternoon - i wish you the best of luck even though i suspect you will not need luck. ;) I am summoning up a "mental umbrella" for you this afternoon, under which you can focus on the exam, sheltered from all scary thoughts... about anything at all.

I have confidence you will do well in the exam however, no matter what. ;)

The last one when you thought you could hardly remember anything, you aced it! :D :)

You're one smart cookie!

Looking forward to hearing back from you as to how you feel it went... when you feel up to posting of course.

((( hugs )))

~ waves ~

sending you hugs and prayers
bobby

sending you warm wishes, I am sorry that you are having to gothru this.
know that you are being treated with the best care and that you have excellant doctors who will reccommend the best procedures available. you are going to be able to handle this, I have faith in you. keep posting and relying on all of your friends here at these forums.
I will bring up your party thread.
beth

I'm sending more hugs.

ANd thoughts for tuesday.

Donna

I did the best I could. My mind was racing all over the place. When I got there I was sitting in the area where we all have to wait. I just lost it and couldn’t control the tears. I know this sounds stupid but I needed my mom to tell me it would be okay. One of the proctors saw me and said it’s just a test and if I fail I could take it again. I told her that’s not why I’m crying. I couldn’t even speak and she took me to a room off the side.

I told her everything and she said "You're fine...this is really great news." And, again, it is, in the world of BC. I know that!! I couldn’t understand that response. I was trying so hard to keep my emotions in check. But I couldn’t. I just feel like, it's not ok to have even the teeniest feeling about what’s been going on because I'm so *&%$ing fine!

All things are relative, I suppose. I am "lucky" in some ways. But it's still cancer. I vary on whether I hate being told I'm lucky. I know what she meant, and I know that it's true from certain perspective. But I just want to scream, "No, LUCKY would be if I didn't have CANCER."

Life can be so complicated. I’ve tried so many times to leave this earth and be with my family and now I’m afraid to die.

I tried. I don’t know how I did. It’s all a big blur right now. I even got lost on the way home, in my own neighborhood. I was just driving aimlessly I didn’t even realize where I was. I’m just overly tired right now.

Honey, just hold on
 

First of all, just let the test go. You probably did ok on automatic pilot. Anyway, you will find out.

As for the proctor, i think sometimes even when we are well-meaning, we say things that do not really help the other person, given where they are at.

No-one is lucky to have cancer, in my opinion. Any kind of cancer. I mean, let's call a spade a spade.

Even if it's the "least troublesome" cancer... yes, is IS still cancer, and it IS scary. It is easy for me to predict statistically that you're gonna be ok. But if i had cancer, i know i would be scared. So i think that's totally normal. Let it out. You have EVERY RIGHT.

About these mixed feelings of lucky/unlucky.... what if we say, you have been unlucky and while, sure, you might have been more unlucky, that is not your concern. You have had a seriously upsetting diagnosis and require extensive treatment and follow up. Anyone telling you there is no need to be upset just doesn't get it, imho.

Do not compare yourself to women with "worse" forms of cancer. You are living your life not theirs. You are living your pain. Cry the tears that need to be cried. It is natural. Feel the fear that is natural.

Then, perhaps, mitigate that fear with a pinch of reasoning about the specifics of your case, and the type of cancer, to help yourself be optimistic and courageous through the treatment process.

I am afraid this well-meaning post might make you feel worse. :o I hope not.

I just wish it weren't happening. Then, there would be no need to be upset. But ... it is. :hug: Hold on to yourself, dear, and hold on to us.

:grouphug:

~ waves ~ with warm thoughts and healing energy

more hugs
(((((((HUGS)))))))
beth:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::group hug::grouphug::grouphug:

Dear BJ,
I'm sorry that you are going through this.
You are in my prayers.

Remember -- if it helps -- that your feelings are perfectly normal. Sometimes it helps to really feel the feelings and focus on them for a little while. Sometimes a better choice is to put them off for a SHORT while until able to face them them.

The woman at the testing place said the wrong thing. But I think in the over all scheme of things she thought that she was reaching out and offering comfort. Maybe it helps you to know that.

BJ, you already know the general part of what the surgeon is going to say, so you don't have to try to anticipate.

In fact the surgeon might have little to say and might refer you to a staff member who can be more helpful.

Feel free to ask losts of questions and make sure the members of the staff know that you will be calling or stopping by with more questions.

M.

Vitamin D for prevention and recurrence prevention
 

Hi BJ,

Please watch this video cited by Mrs D in her post below (from the Nutrition forum). It is all good news, and no bad news. :) And easy.

hope you're doing ok today. :heartthrob:

((( hugs )))

~ waves ~

Thanks waves!

There is also another factor that may help, BJ.

A poster from the "other" board, has breast cancer, and reversed a metastatic finding with this nutritional support:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...967#post238967

She is a friend of mine, and can be reached by PM at the "other" board, since she doesn't post here regularly.

The flax oil/cottage cheese intervention is pretty well known, now. Many people use it. You can Google it and find alot more about it. Omega-3 deficiency is implicated in cancer. I had a patient who had breast cancer and took high dose flax oil and came out of the treatments very well. She credits it as very good.

You should ask your doctor if high dose Flax is okay for you. Some doctors may prefer timing it during certain phases of the treatment or recovery.

BJ, i understand the need to have your mom tell you everything will be fine. For the longest time after my mom passed I had the urge for her to comfort me in all my sorrow and pain. Moms are good at comforting.

I feel for you for what you are going through. It's terrifying no doubt. I just said a prayer for you again. Put your right hand on your left shoulder and your left hand on your right shoulder and squeeze. That's me hugging you to let you know I care. Hang in there and remember that there is no right or wrong way to feel.

barbara

Cancer breeds fear and I know that. I’m realizing that my human form is fragile and that life is tenuous at best. It shows us that we seldom have as much control as we think and not having control over our life leaves us anxious.

I’m trying so hard to not let anxiety steal anymore peace or grace from me. I’ve worked so hard for this. I talked to my priest today after mass and he quoted a passage from the bible that says why worry about tomorrow, when tomorrow comes it will have its own troubles to deal with.

I’ve been trying to preoccupy myself and played with Hooper today and worked in my garden. Meaningless tasks I guess unless you are the dog or the garden, but sometimes those moments of meaningless fun are all that we need to get over ourselves and our worries.

But you have no idea how many hours I spent studying for that test. I bet it’s about 150 hours I spent studying and I honestly don’t think I passed it.

I called my tdoc in the wee hours of the morning and told her. She said she’d be here for me 24-7 until I know more. I’m just feeling so overwhelmed and I’ll be glad to go to work tomorrow and not think about it. I’m going on 3 days without very little sleep so I hope I can sleep tonight.

Mrs D I'm not sure I know what you're talking about in the "other" board. But when I see the surgeon on Tuesday I'll ask about the flax oil. Thank you all for all the helpful information. I'm just beginning this journey and I have a lot to learn, a lot to wonder about.

I sent you a PM, BJ.

Dear BJ,

Perhaps the priest is trying to say something similar to what we say on the board -- baby steps -- take one day at a time.

This is a process that will take lots of small steps mixed in with some big steps. You can't really be in a hurry to get it all solved. And you can't really be in a hurry to figure out how you feel about it.

Your feelings might change from one minute to the next and from one day to the next. That is ok.

So be gentle with yourself.

Find ways to nurture yourself.

Keep talking to us here if it helps.

M.

Dear BJ
 

What you described is very much a "living in the moment" concept. Appreciating the present. Sometimes that is excruciatingly difficult to achieve, under stress, in a bipolar episode, or other circumstances such as yours... so i am very happy for you and proud of you that you are able to do that. :)

Now, spending time with Hooper and your flowers... well, they are living creatures! I hardly see that as insignificant, even in "the big picture" if you will!

:hug:

I am so glad your pastor knew just how to help, and that you were able to get to a better emotional place.

:hug:

~ waves ~ wishing you wellness

p.s. on a more technical note, were you able to watch the vit D video, btw?

I sending you good thoughts today.
((((((HUGS))))))
beth

I'm here for you too.

Just don't know what else to say.

Donna

My appointment with the oncologist is at 2 and I'm leaving now. I can't even believe I'm saying that word. I just want to know more and I'm terrified of what he's going to say.

My horoscope was right on today:

Today you should be extra careful about health, Scorpio. There may be a dicey response to something you eat, or an unexpected weather problem that you are not prepared for: either way there is a good chance that you may get the first signs of a coming infection or disturbance. This problem will also affect your mood, so be extra cautious, drink plenty of water, and at first signs of any symptoms at all, consult a doctor. This may not be difficult unless you try to ignore it.

we will be right here for you ....
:hug::hug::hug:
beth

Dear BJ
 

sending you blessings!

:grouphug:

~ waves ~ also here, awaiting your news...

My thoughts and prayers are with you BJ.

Let us know how it went.... :hug:

(Hey, that's my horoscope too as Im Scorpio !)

P.S. Im not sure if you would like to listen to them or not, but I see plenty breast cancer patients everyday all of them with positive stories.... :)

I have seen how, through the years, treatments and strategies are gettung better and better... so, you will be fine ! I swear ! :hug:

Stay positive, stay strong...

I feel better now that we have a plan of attack. I feel like I have a little more control over the whole situation. The staff was wonderful. I went in saying that I was not going to cry but the first thing the nurse did was hug me and I just lost it. The surgeon was very straight forward and had "this is what we are going to do to fight this" attitude.

We discussed the results of the MRI and the pathology report. The MRI showed that the left breast was still clear. The path report states that there is a mixture of cells, both lobular and ductal as well as invasive and in situ. We discussed my options and I have decided to do the lumpectomy with radiation as well as the SNL biopsy and the removal of any nodes if necessary. The surgeon was very comfortable with my decision. She said after the surgery and the results are back, then I will meet with an oncologist to discuss radiation treatments. I am praying so hard for clean nodes and clear margins.

And I was lucky in that she had a cancellation next Friday. I will also have the sentinel node biopsy (and anxillary node dissection if needed) at that time. She started explaining it to me, but when she told me about the needle with the wire attached, I freaked out and didn't really hear the rest (I have a rather immature, irrational fear of needles that I can't seem to rise above). Anyway, here's what my surgery is:

Right breast MRI needle localization lumpectomy with lymph node centography mapping and sentinel node biopsy w/ possible anxillary node dissection.

I got the schedule from my surgeon's scheduler and this is my day: 8:30AM injection, 12:30PM scan, 1:00PM MRI needle, and 2:40PM lumpectomy. Home hopefully later in the evening.

And then, I’ll walk out of there, hopefully, cancer free.

Oooh BJ
 

Of course i will continue to send you blessings and warm wishes... even beyond next Friday.

But you really do sound in good hands... It sounds like a great plan with immediate contingency-based options for your safety.

Well done in elaborating all this together with the surgeon, too. ((( hugs ))) Btw, i think, if i could hug your surgeon, i would hug him too! (is he cute?) ;):D

the way you have described the appointment, his attitude, and the whole discussion and final decisions about the process inspires me with confidence, and i'm guessing it does you too.

Of course, I too hope you have clean sentinels and clean margins.

Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I am relieved to hear the concrete steps that will get you cancer-free again.

((((((( :heartthrob: hugs :heartthrob: )))))))

~ waves ~

God will be right there with you BJ.... during the whole process... holding your hand :hug:

My prayers and thought are with you... and will until you inform me you are cancer free...

I see breast cancer cells died and being destroyed everyday under my microscope... they literally dissapear, they are completely destroyed with radiation and the drugs used (like tamoxifen and adriamicin....), so, in your case, it wont be the exception :) :hug:

All the best for you. Keep me posted.

:hug:

Just so floored for the change and challenges BJ, I am sending you love and prayers. Work can be a way for diversion for a little while.
Wish I could send a box of hugs one a day, and a kiss on the forehead goodnight.
:hug:di

Sending prayers
 

Dear BJ,
It sounds like you are holding up well.


And I am happy to hear about the wonderful staff and the surgeon with a plan that you can be on board with.

M.