Invasive Lobular Cancer (ILC)
Hi all, I have just discovered that ILC is lumped into general ductal breast cancer. America research have started to recognise there are huge differences. Treatment in Australia is the same as ducta...
Forum Discussion
Hi everyone, I've come into this thread a little late. I've just been through and read all of the comments so my apologies if what I'm saying is a bit out of sync with the where the conversation is at now.
I've had regular mammograms since I was 40 (now 48) and everything always came back clear. In 2017 I was called back after a mammogram and underwent a second mammogram and examination which was inconclusive. There was discussion of me having a biopsy but then that was deemed unnecessary. Instead I was sent for a 3D mammogram. The results were all clear. In March 2018 I had another mammogram and was sent a letter from BS advising that it was all clear and I did not need to come back for testing for 2 years. i was pretty darned happy about that!
In August 2018 (5 months later!) I found a small lump in my right breast. I wasn't at all concerned and didn't rush to the doctor. When I finally did go (and explained the above circumstances) he sent me for an ultrasound. That resulted in then being sent for an MRI and biopsy. The result was a 2cm lump (as shown on the MRI) and swollen lymph nodes, that my surgeon advised could all be removed with a lumpectomy.
Fast forward after the lumpectomy (with me going about my business thinking all was well in the world) and I was called back to the surgeon to be told that I had ILC, 19 lymph nodes were removed, of which 11 were cancerous. Within days I underwent a double mastectomy, to which I was then advised that my tumor was 13cm in size and I had stage 3 ILC.
Words can't explain the shock and devastation (as you ladies would all relate to).
I have since undergo chemo and have 2 rads to go out of 25. Thursday will be a day to celebrate.
But to be honest..... I'm terrified. Treatment will be finished but I have no way of knowing if this disease will be gone. I'm advised by my Onc that there is no further testing other than bloods. I feel lost, out of my depth, emotional and angry.
All my family and friends mean so well and they're constantly reminding me of how many rads I've got to go and how it will all be over soon but no-one seems to get it...... will it really be over soon? Stage 3 ILC!, will it come back? how soon? what are my chances? I don't expect any answers to those questions, but I just wish they could understand where I'm coming from. But if I say anything about how I'm feeling then I'm told to stay positive. Sometimes easier said then done.
I wish someone had told me about this particular type of cancer and how difficult it was to detect. I put all of my trust in BS and never thought for a minute that their testing was anything but accurate.
Thank you to everyone that has posted about this. I've found very little information about ILC so a lot of what has been said here has been very insightful. Thank you all xx
I've had regular mammograms since I was 40 (now 48) and everything always came back clear. In 2017 I was called back after a mammogram and underwent a second mammogram and examination which was inconclusive. There was discussion of me having a biopsy but then that was deemed unnecessary. Instead I was sent for a 3D mammogram. The results were all clear. In March 2018 I had another mammogram and was sent a letter from BS advising that it was all clear and I did not need to come back for testing for 2 years. i was pretty darned happy about that!
In August 2018 (5 months later!) I found a small lump in my right breast. I wasn't at all concerned and didn't rush to the doctor. When I finally did go (and explained the above circumstances) he sent me for an ultrasound. That resulted in then being sent for an MRI and biopsy. The result was a 2cm lump (as shown on the MRI) and swollen lymph nodes, that my surgeon advised could all be removed with a lumpectomy.
Fast forward after the lumpectomy (with me going about my business thinking all was well in the world) and I was called back to the surgeon to be told that I had ILC, 19 lymph nodes were removed, of which 11 were cancerous. Within days I underwent a double mastectomy, to which I was then advised that my tumor was 13cm in size and I had stage 3 ILC.
Words can't explain the shock and devastation (as you ladies would all relate to).
I have since undergo chemo and have 2 rads to go out of 25. Thursday will be a day to celebrate.
But to be honest..... I'm terrified. Treatment will be finished but I have no way of knowing if this disease will be gone. I'm advised by my Onc that there is no further testing other than bloods. I feel lost, out of my depth, emotional and angry.
All my family and friends mean so well and they're constantly reminding me of how many rads I've got to go and how it will all be over soon but no-one seems to get it...... will it really be over soon? Stage 3 ILC!, will it come back? how soon? what are my chances? I don't expect any answers to those questions, but I just wish they could understand where I'm coming from. But if I say anything about how I'm feeling then I'm told to stay positive. Sometimes easier said then done.
I wish someone had told me about this particular type of cancer and how difficult it was to detect. I put all of my trust in BS and never thought for a minute that their testing was anything but accurate.
Thank you to everyone that has posted about this. I've found very little information about ILC so a lot of what has been said here has been very insightful. Thank you all xx