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angiesg's avatar
angiesg
Member
10 years ago

Breast screens are so important

Hi

It was time for my 2 yearly mammogram, my GP and I had been using a combination of mammogram and ultrasound for screening.

The mammogram was all clear but the ultrasound found a small change in my right breast, report said "may" benefit from a biopsy. My surgeon did not have me on his radar as being of concern and he was just as shocked as i for it to be diagnosed as BC. He called me a very lucky girl and was so glad that i did the mammo/ultrasound combination as i may have walked away with a clear mammogram and then eventually i would have felt this as my tumour could not be felt by myself or my surgeon. Which makes all this so hard to believe its happening

I had a lumpetomy, was just day surgery and sentiel node biopsy, recovered well with no pain.

End result is im triple positive with a 9mm Stage 1, no node involvement.

So its a busy 2016 ahead, starting with a taxol + herceptin weekly chemo, then followed by Radio, Herceptin continues for another 9 months after chemo finishes and then onto Hormone tablets.

My surgeon and oncologist kept stressing i was a perfect case of why screening was so important as what they have to deal with right now is highly treatable with a very low risk of reocurrence compared to if was not picked up early

So please keep stressing the importance of screening to all your family and friends

Angie

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  • June1952's avatar
    June1952
    Member
    10 years ago

    Hi Ronnie

    I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis.  You are very lucky to be sensitive about your body and have the listening and caring medicos available to you.

    You are right, many ladies have no idea - and why would they unless they have heard about BC from others ?  We are all in the dark until it happens to us or someone close.

    We are also taught to have our doctors 'on a pedestal' and not query things - this attitude needs to be changed as well because we know our bodies best.

    Unfortunately we are all different and sometimes the mammograms simply cannot detect things.  The BreastScreen 'screening' mammogram is different from the 'diagnostic' one we get following a BC diagnosis.  Many GPs simply won't order an ultrasound and in fact in my case the lady doing the ultrasound said it was 'useless' in my particular case.

    Good on you for encouraging ladies to keep on going if they feel something is not right.  Education is the key, I think.

    Good luck for your surgery and recovery.

    Have a happy and safe festive season.

    Summer  :-)

  • ronnie29's avatar
    ronnie29
    Member
    10 years ago

    I found a lump in my left breast in mid Feb 2015, ( this was three weeks after my sister had a double mastectomy) booked in for a mammogram and had that on March 11... results came in around the 22 that said in bold type... no evidence of breast cancer... I remember the relief I felt 'cos I was a little concerned and thought just a cyst, I'll get it checked next time I go to the doctor ... three weeks later (by accident) I felt a change in the lump and booked in to see my GP, she sent me first for an ultrasound, then a fine needle biopsy ... results were a non-invasive breast cancer... next to the surgeon and the many tests and an operation later the results came back an invasive, aggressive breast cancer, triple negative. It was then six months of chemo and a double mastectomy that I will be having next month.

    Believe me, I was having meltdown after meltdown...how could I go from no evidence of breast cancer to a non-invasive breast cancer to an invasive, aggressive breast cancer all within eight weeks!!

    Think I will ever encourage any woman to have a mammogram, not likely, I will be telling her to get the ultrasound.

    How many woman are not breast cancer awareness savvy and believe the results of her mammogram???

    How many times do we have to hear of the mammogram not picking up the cancer and the ultrasound does.

    Do I sound peed off... damn right.

    Ronnie.

     

  • ChrissK's avatar
    ChrissK
    Member
    10 years ago

    Hi Angie, sorry to hear about your diagnosis.... It was the same as me the mammogram found nothing but the ultrasound showed a 3cm lump on left breast.

    Take Care!!!