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Old 09-22-2004, 12:02 AM   #1
Beverly
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Here is my mother's history. Family history of BC w/ grandmother 2 first cousins and a sister 5 years ago. Mom has always gone for mamm's & sometimes had to go back for second ones to rule out 'something that showed up' but always was determined as 'fatty tissue'. Had regular scheduled mamm Nov. 03. 2 weeks after mamm developed a 'rash' with some stabbing pain warmness to the touch and skin thickened 'like leather'. Went to Dr. Said it was probably an infection took antibiotic 2 weeks. No response. Referred to a breast clinic. Another mamm & ultrasound. Had biopsy. Report was no cancer. Referred to dermatologist put her on prednisone for 2 weeks. Some symptoms went away but still bothered her. She chose to 'deal with it' because as long as she knew it wasn't cancer that was all she was concerned with. Follow-up mamm in April just to check it out. All was fine. August 10 2004 she detected a lump in same breast. Went to Dr. Mamm & ultrasound 8/13/04 " ""no dominate mass" " distortion or suspicious calcification visualized. Ultra sound does not reveal dominant discreet Hyper-Hypochoic mass."" However doc was still concerned" so sent her back to breast surgeon who on 8/24 did biopsy & removed 1/2 inch lump. Report: Stage I Grade 2 Invasive Ductal Cancer. Scheduled for partial mastectomy 9/1. On 9/1 surgeon called to cancel as the comparison of most recent mamm to the one back in Jan showed some other changes in calcifications that they needed to ck out. Did a 'core biopsy'. Result more cancer 1mm. Very small but in a different area of the breast that now required a full mastectomy of right breast. Successul surgery 9/8/04. Took section of lymph nodes for testing. Finally 9/16/04 results of pathology report: Another 3 cm mass in the breast (UNDETECTED BY ALL THESE MAMMS!) 13/14 lymphnodes positive; ER positive; Her2neu positive. Had CT scan 9/21/04. Having Bone scan 9/22/04. Echo next week. Then is scheduled to start A/C every 2 wks X 4 doses; then Taxol/Herceptin every wk X 12 doses; Then Herceptin weekly X 40 doses while doing radiation; then Arimiadex for 5 years.

WOW. Now that I'm through all that -- She has asked the Onc if she is a different Stage now that they found the 3 cm mass and it BC was present in lymph nodes. The response 'It doesn't say in the path report'. She is very happy w/ the Onc so far who seems genuinely concerned that her cancer was missed on so many reports and has asked to see the films/slides from January biopsy to see what they looked at. All we have now is to look forward and take what comes.
But she is very frustrated currently because she has so many questions. She is getting the impression from reading that Her2neu means that she has a very aggressive cancer and that since it's in her lymph nodes that it has spread throughout her body. No report has told her that. She just feels that. Despite that physically she feels OK other than pain from surgery still. We as her family know that the tests they are running currently is what will give the Onc and her some of the answers she is looking for.
Does anyone have any insight for me? I would like to give her some success stories that women have had Her2neu+ and positive lymph nodes and didn't have 'cancer everywhere' which is what her mind is telling her right now. I know that you can't tell me EXACTLY what my mom's diagnosis or prognosis is but just some similar situations would help me out to share with her.
She won't ask this for herself right now. She is saying she wants to talk to someone but when people offer it's not what she wants. The emotions are running quite high right now which I know is normal. I'm trying to help her the best I know how.
Any advice from anyone?
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