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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