are you classed as having Breast cancer

kmakm said:

Hi Sue. Sorry to see you here, but welcome. I hope you find it as helpful and supportive a place as I have.

Strictly speaking with your tumour removed and no spread, you are officially NED - no evidence of disease. From here it's 'mopping up'.

My tumour was 16mm, with no lymph node involvement, and was whipped out the day after diagnosis. I have gone with "I'm being treated for breast cancer" rather than "I have breast cancer".

I asked my surgeon a similar question, when am I classed as a 'survivor'. His view was from the moment the tumour was removed.

I had a re-excision for margins, which found a lot of DCIS. For a variety of reasons I ended up having a double mastectomy and the pathology found more DCIS. So for me, I'm choosing to start my five years, with the 90% survival rate, from the date of that last surgery. Roll on 27th April 2023!

How are you doing Sue? K xox

Hi kmakm Im doing ok its more the emotional and mental side I think, the questions you think of after you leave the Dr lol, I'm sorry to hear you had to have a double mastectomy.. what is DCIS? I like the 'I AM BEING TREATED FOR bREAST CANCER " better than the I have Breast Cancer..   My Mum and Grandmother passed away with this bitch of a disease, I looked after my Mum, she had a mastectomy but this was 9 years ago, so much has changed since then.. I remember the last time we went to her oncologist and she said to Mum " we don't need to see you again, all is good" until about a year later when she tripped getting out of my car and broke her hip, we were all very surprised that a trip could do this... until the tests. metastisised... so yeah getting the recall totally freaked me out then all the tests and trying to get my head around saying I have Breast cancer" 
But so happy for this online support.. I hope you are doing good xx