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Old 05-25-2014, 01:21 PM   #1
Deeze
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2
Question Right mastectomy 3 yrs ago....now left side?

Good Afternoon,

I joined this group about 3 1/2 years ago. I can't recall if I ever posted or just peeked around.

I'm searching for answers to curiosity questions:

I was diagnosed Her2 Positive/Stage 4 in August of 2010. Metastasis was to liver and right lung. Immediately, chemo was started then in December a right mastectomy and 47 right axillary lymph nodes removed (all of them) followed with radiation in February and March 2011. During and since, I've been on every three weeks Herceptin infusions. After about a year of Herceptin only, some more spots were seen in right lung and Tykerb was added to my treatment.

Fast forward to current: A week ago I had a routine mammogram on left breast which showed a number of small areas of Bi-Rads 4 "highly suspicious for malignancy" calcifications. I'm scheduled for a stereotactic biopsy on Friday, May 30th.

When I was first diagnosed in 2010, and informed that a mastectomy was necessary, I asked for a double mastectomy but was discouraged and pretty much told no. I LOVE the care and professionalism I receive where I'm treated but have never really understood the reasoning behind a unilateral mastectomy. I specifically asked, per leaving my left breast alone, "what about cancer showing in the existing natural breast and possibly having to go thru another mastectomy." My answer was (condensed); "Her2 doesn't work that way. IF you should get cancer in your left breast it would be coincidence where Her2 is concerned. It won't be because that breast wasn't removed."

Here I am today looking at "highly suspicious for malignancy" in my existing natural breast. I know that I may be "putting the cart before the horse" with the questions below before getting my actual findings, but, haven't we all been there?

My questions are:
1) Have any others here experienced a parallel to what I've described above?
2) Are there any of you who would have a clue as to what I might be looking at, per my history, concerning either/or radiation, or chemo, or mastectomy.....or combos?
3) Would anyone know if these areas prove to be malignant if they'd be most likely Her2 or an different type breast cancer.

If these areas of concern are malignant... I nearly made four years. I think that's pretty good, don't you? I've been told that it was not a matter of IF cancer returned but rather WHEN. In the interim I chose to live as that wasn't factual.

Choosing Joy has been and will continue to be my mantra....however, I do recognize that this isn't joy at all, but life all around it can still have joy.

Thanks for reading such a long post.

Blessings,

Deeze
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