Breast size changes??

[StephN]

Hi everyone -
Susan W in another thread mentioned her breasts getting larger prior to her diagnosis. Al then commented that additional estrogen going to this area may be a troublemaker.

My breasts grew from 34b to 36c just before menopause and I always wondered if this had anything to do with getting cancer. I am er/pr negative, but that does not mean that hormones were not involved. Diagnosis was about 9-10 months into menopause.

I am wondering how many of us here had noticeable change in breast size to the point of having to get all new bras, and clothes getting too tight. OR a reduction from weight loss.
I have not taken the time to look up any research in this direction, but would hope some exists.

[RhondaH]

AFTER having him I became a 40G (thought it was due to nursing him for a year), but they never went back until after dx and I lost 40 lbs.

Rhonda

[astrid]

Over the years. I went from a 32C to a 36D. I am still a 36D. This was not all related to pregnancy. I was 92 pounds when I first got married and was 138 when I was diagnosed. I am now 123. I have also wondered if the rapid breast growth was a sign. I had people ask me if I had implants. I have a strong family history and I am a DES baby. So I tend to think my cancer was caused by genetics or DES. I tested negative for BRCAs

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

since that is what happened to me upon my detection in 1996.

I noticed that bra on my left side was becoming tighter. Stupid me never even thought of anything being wrong, little alone cancer. I had no pain, felt no lumps, nothing other then becoming larger and since that side was always a bit larger, I thought nothing of it. I was due to have my mamo in a few months anyway. Well it's a good thing I did, since that is when it was found- Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma.

I am also Er/Pr negative and I was 50 when diagnosed. Had not gone into menopause yet.

I was passed on this web site for IBC which I never heard of myself either.

Take a moment and watch the video. It's an eye opener for yet another type of cancer.

ww3.komotv.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?

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[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Sorry Steph

I just noticed that you had already posted that video site. Well I guess twice the info can't really hurt none.

[Sandy H]

This is an interesting question Steph brought up. I was a 36b then went to 36c and at diagnose I was a 38DD! I was 54 years old when diagnosed with IBC. People were beginning to tell me I was beginning to look like Dolly Parton! When I went for my fitting after mastectomies they told me I should stay with what I was before surgery. I said, "no way" when I told her what size I was she couldn't believe it. Now, at least I can choose the size I want to be. hugs, Sandy

[panicked911]

before turing 40 and even after 2 kids and breats feed ing for a year I was a 32B. Somewhere right around 40 I grew hips and my chest swelled to a 34 C for 2.5 weeks during the month and 34D the week before zi was getting my period. I "complianed" to the ob/gyn who said only you gain in the chest and hips - noone ever took it seriously ..
AT 43 I was diagnosised with stage 1 two peas and pencil point -
when my surgeon looked at the pathology report she said that the tumors were there b/w 3-5 years - almost to the point when i noticed the chnage in my chest.
Directly following surgery I started tamoxifen and within 2 weeks noticed my chest was shrinking - e-mail surgeon who said she knew it would work but did not think that fast - I was then switched to arimidex and lupron and started with Herceptain -wouldn't you know it - gained 10 pounds and my chest is back to where it was pre arimidex but withnone of the pain and swelling I used to get. Had an MRI in may which showed everything was fine - time will tell I guess.

Susanne

[Patty H]

I never made the connection before. But yes I went from a 34b to a 36c, probably in the last year before I was dx. I had commented to my friends that this was one nice thing about getting older. I wasn't in menopause yet, I was 50 and near it. I figured it was because my weight was up to 127. The most I had weighed unpregnant. I was also er nagitive. Patty H

[al from Canada]

Now that I think of it, Linda did blossom but, don't most ladies between 45 - 55? This could be a red herring as metabolism does change. Guys experience similar things (except me).
Suzanne, this 3 - 5 year number is also a red herring as oncs don't have a fraction of the answers about HER2 disease. They are basing their guestimates on HER2 negative stats. From experience I can tell you this, an aggressive HER2 cancer can double in size in a few months. Al

[panicked911]

Al:

You are absolutely right for the "typical" her2 tumor that is er- pr- or weakly positive. I am told my my onc an surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering that when you are a strong triple positive ( which I am) those guidelines on rate of growth get skewed - hence the 3 -5 year estimate from the surgeon. Also skewing the numbers is th fact that not only strongly triple positive I also had three tumors growing right next to each other independant ( the smaller may have been a focal - not sure because it was so small .1 mm)

I could not have had better care than where I was treated botht he onc and the surgeon are very well regarded and have are top researchers in their repsected fields. Yet neither had ever seen anything quite like this - hence my searching for answers and finding this sight -which has been wonderful.
But interestingly I can pin point the changes in my breasts corrolating back the 5 years and in the past three before diagnosis was particularly bothersome and I was not menapausal and in excellent physical shape so weight wasn't the reason for the changes.

Interestingly I asked the onc about the increase and chnages in breats size prior to diagnosis and she said she has heard it before but obody has ever done " a study" There was a study out of Harvard that suggested women with smaller frames ( 32, 34) and cup size C and larger were at an increased risk for developing breast cancer. Go figure.

Susanne