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Re: Good Advice?
Joe, you must have been reading my mind before posting this! I received an email today from the NBCC and then visited their web site where I found the myths they're posting daily for the month of October. They will post 31 myths - one for each day.
I read the 9 myths they have posted so far and was confused and frustrated with some of their postings, especially the one you mention here. I, too, found my lump (under the armpit) in the shower and after much insistence with my doctors was finally able to get an MRI/mammo 6 months later. Had I not been so diligent and persistent, I don't know where I would be today. I strongly believe that self exams do save lives, more so than the doctors suspect. I think we know our bodies better than anyone, and can tell much earlier whether something doesn't feel right. Isn't this how many symptoms are found anyways - with the patient herself reporting feelings and sensations to their doctors?
It's a total disservice to women to shy them away from their self-exams..
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ER+ (30%)/PR-/HER-2+, stage 3
Diagnosed on 02/18/09 at 38 with a huge 12x10 cm tumor, after a 6 month delay. Told I was too young and had no risk factors. Found swollen node during breastfeeding.
March-August 09: neo-adjuvant chemo, part of a trial at Stanford (4 DD A/C, 4 Taxotere with daily Tykerb), loading dose of Herceptin
08/12/09 - bye bye boobies (bilateral mastectomy)
08/24/09 - path report shows 100 % success in breast tissue (no cancer there, yay!), 98 % success in lymphatic invasion, and even though 11/13 nodes were still positive, > 95 % of the tumor in them was killed. Hoping for the best!
September-October 09: rads with daily Xeloda
02/25/10 - Cholecystectomy
05/27/10 - Bone scan clear
06/14/10 - CT scan clear, ovarian cyst found
07/27/10 - Done with Herceptin!
02/15/11 - MVA-BN HER-2 vaccine trial
03/15/11 - First CA 15-3: 12.7 and normal, yay!
10/01/11 - Bone scan and CT scan clear, fatty liver found
now on Tamoxifen and Aspirin
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