Just joined

Hi inpink -- just wanted to say welcome to the site. We've had a few new people join lately so don't be afraid to ask if you have questions (the answers might help someone else, too. :)

If there's anything you want to know about how the site works feel free to ask me directly, or take a look at the help or Q&A pages -- there's a fair bit of information there.

Best wishes for your treatment, hope the tiredness and achiness settles down soon.

~Di

So sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis.But welcome to this site where you will get lots of info and support.You are probably still in the shock/disbelief stage where you wake up in the morning thinking it must have been a bad dream.Joy has pretty well summed it up.Once you have the lumpectomy you'll have to wait about a week for the indepth pathology.That determines what treatment/drugs you'll need.Just focus on the surgery for now cos it can all get quite overwhelming.I would keep busy from now till the 8th -you know,clean the house,stack the freezer,change the linen a day or so before your op.Make sure you have some button down the front pjs cos your armpit area will be sore.You'll most likely be in hospital for about 3 days and come home with the drain still in but your surgeon will tell you these details.I've had breast cancer twice-same breast.I had a lumpectomy and radiation back in 2003 and unfortunately I was in the unlucky 8% who get it back.So I had to have a mastectomy and chemotherapy last year and am now on Tamoxifen cos my cancer was eostrogen+ve.Even though it was a recurrence,it was still classed as early breast cancer. I know you are scared at the moment but blog on here any time and you won't feel so alone.There are many of us who have survived bc and you will too.

                                                 Tonya xx

Sorry you have had to join us, but you have come to the right place for support and information. There are many wonderful women on this site who will share their journey with you and help you through yours.

A lumpectomy is where the surgeon removes the tumour and conserves most of your breast. The tumour is sent to pathology and examined for type, receptors and most important of all clear margins between the tumour and the surrounding tissue, in other words clear margins mean that the surgeon has most probably got it all. The sentinel node is the first lymph node in your armpit and this is examined to see if the cancer has spread to your lymphatic system. Receptors mean if the tumour is Estrogen, Progesterone or HER-2 positive (Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor.) If it is hormone positive it means that you can have a targeted treatment using hormone suppressing tablets or injections such as tamoxifen (spelling!) Zeloda, Faslodex or the Aromatase Inhibitors such as Arimidex and Aromasin, and HER-2 positive means that the tumour will most probably respond to the drug Herceptin.

As you think of a question, write it down. Don't be afraid to ask questions and if you aren't sure of what the reply means ask the Oncologist/Surgeon/Radiotherapy Oncologist/Technician/Breast Care Nurse to explain it again. We can help you with general information, but there are many kinds of breast cancer and only your treatment team knows your particular situation.

Don't try to read other's body language, at this stage they are all new to you and you have no baseline to judge their reactions - you could interpret the sad and distressed look on the technician's face as meaning that your scan is very bad and send your worries into overdrive and in reality it could be as simple as them knocking their in-grown toenail!! It's called Scanxiety, the waiting time between scans and getting the result, it get's easier to manage a little further down the track.

Hope this helps

With love

Joy K

Sorry you have had to join us, but you have come to the right place for support and information. There are many wonderful women on this site who will share their journey with you and help you through yours.

A lumpectomy is where the surgeon removes the tumour and conserves most of your breast. The tumour is sent to pathology and examined for type, receptors and most important of all clear margins between the tumour and the surrounding tissue, in other words clear margins mean that the surgeon has most probably got it all. The sentinel node is the first lymph node in your armpit and this is examined to see if the cancer has spread to your lymphatic system. Receptors mean if the tumour is Estrogen, Progesterone or HER-2 positive (Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor.) If it is hormone positive it means that you can have a targeted treatment using hormone suppressing tablets or injections such as tamoxifen (spelling!) Zeloda, Faslodex or the Aromatase Inhibitors such as Arimidex and Aromasin, and HER-2 positive means that the tumour will most probably respond to the drug Herceptin.

As you think of a question, write it down. Don't be afraid to ask questions and if you aren't sure of what the reply means ask the Oncologist/Surgeon/Radiotherapy Oncologist/Technician/Breast Care Nurse to explain it again. We can help you with general information, but there are many kinds of breast cancer and only your treatment team knows your particular situation.

Don't try to read other's body language, at this stage they are all new to you and you have no baseline to judge their reactions - you could interpret the sad and distressed look on the technician's face as meaning that your scan is very bad and send your worries into overdrive and in reality it could be as simple as them knocking their in-grown toenail!! It's called Scanxiety, the waiting time between scans and getting the result, it get's easier to manage a little further down the track.

Hope this helps

With love

Joy K