I have just been diagnosed with grade 3 invasive ductile carcinoma. The tumor is 2cm x 2cm and the hormone status hasn't come back yet. I saw the surgeon the next afternoon and he has sent me straight away for a PET scan which I am having tomorrow morning. I have read lots of posts and comments about bone scans and CTs but not PET. I'm a bit worried about why he has chosen to go down that path as it seems so different to many other stories.I am a planner so not having any idea of what is going to happen and in what order is messing with me big time! My husband is FIFO and away at work (left the day before I got my results). He will be back on the weekend thank goodness and I am really lucky to have amazing friends who are really supportive.I am trying not to get too scared and read too much but it is very very hard! I just need to try and have patience and trust the process I guess.

And Liz o’riordan’s story is well worth reading too, as she explains how unprepared she was for the actual effects (mental and physical) how her BC diagnosis and treatment affected her. Her blog is definitely worth a read. Pretty well any ‘feelings” that we had - she had (plus some!)

I had a pet scan (I think!)that found nothing else throughout my body except a nodule on my lung, but they said they just needed to keep an eye on that. So 3 months later, yesterday in fact, I got the result that it had not grown- and no further action required! Yeay!

Hi @colthul , one more thing, if you are a planner ( so am I) you may find the Liz O’Riordan book referred to in one of the posts at the top of the page useful.The author was a breast cancer surgeon who got breast cancer.I actually found it in my local library .

Hi all, Thank you for your suggestions and experiences. I took some time out over the weekend to read Liz O'Riordon's blog, almost finished. I found it really interesting and gave me some perspective.I got my results back this afternoon. PET was clear and only showed the mass in my breast but receptors came back triple negative. Apparently this (along with the size - surgeon feels it is bigger than the US says) means I still get to ride the chemo train. I am now waiting for an appointment to see the oncologist and then we will decide if it is surgery first or treatment first. Personally I really want this thing out of me ASAP but also know that shrinking it might save my breast a bit in the long run.

Hi @colthul, sorry about your diagnosis. It is all such a shock at the beginning and so overwhelming too. It just takes a bit to get that treatment plan in place and once you have that, as a planning person you will feel better and you will feel like you are getting somewhere. Each doctor is different and every breast cancer is different. Once your doctor has the information they need they will start treatment. That should not take too long. Can you ask your doctor why they want the PET scan. These scans are like body scans to check for any other issues. I guess your dr wants to look at the whole body and is being extra cautious. My cancer was a grade 3 cancer too, hormone positive and her2 negative. I got this information from my initial biopsy. Within 2 weeks I had surgery to remove my 2cm cancer. It was invasive carcinoma too. (Don't get too hung up on the word invasive, doesn't mean it has spread necessarily. It is most likely very treatable. ) After my surgery, which found no lymph involvement and clear margins around the bit removed from me, I started 4 months chemo. Chemo for me was basically because of that high grade. I then had radium for 1 month and now tamoxifen. I was diagnosed in April last year and finished radium at the end of November. I feel good now. This was my treatment but everyone is different and cancer treatment is tailored specifically for you.It is great you have support and please don't hesitate to call it in. Any treatment might make you weary so help at home is great. Another tip is exercise, even walking. It clears the head, keeps you strong and will help you during treatment. Keep busy as it will keep you distracted and help pass the time in this initial phase. When do you see the surgeon again? Do stay in touch and update us on your treatment plan when you get it. This online group is so wonderful and very supportive. It's great you reached out. Sending you a big hug 🌻

Just starting the journey - so many questions!

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Cath62
Member
4 years ago
Hi @colthul, sorry about your diagnosis. It is all such a shock at the beginning and so overwhelming too. It just takes a bit to get that treatment plan in place and once you have that, as a planning person you will feel better and you will feel like you are getting somewhere.

Each doctor is different and every breast cancer is different. Once your doctor has the information they need they will start treatment. That should not take too long. Can you ask your doctor why they want the PET scan. These scans are like body scans to check for any other issues. I guess your dr wants to look at the whole body and is being extra cautious.

My cancer was a grade 3 cancer too, hormone positive and her2 negative. I got this information from my initial biopsy. Within 2 weeks I had surgery to remove my 2cm cancer. It was invasive carcinoma too. (Don't get too hung up on the word invasive, doesn't mean it has spread necessarily. It is most likely very treatable. ) After my surgery, which found no lymph involvement and clear margins around the bit removed from me, I started 4 months chemo. Chemo for me was basically because of that high grade. I then had radium for 1 month and now tamoxifen. I was diagnosed in April last year and finished radium at the end of November. I feel good now. This was my treatment but everyone is different and cancer treatment is tailored specifically for you.

It is great you have support and please don't hesitate to call it in. Any treatment might make you weary so help at home is great. Another tip is exercise, even walking. It clears the head, keeps you strong and will help you during treatment. Keep busy as it will keep you distracted and help pass the time in this initial phase.

When do you see the surgeon again? Do stay in touch and update us on your treatment plan when you get it. This online group is so wonderful and very supportive. It's great you reached out. Sending you a big hug 🌻

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Just starting the journey - so many questions!

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