DCIS - Mastectomy - Recon - clear for two years....now potentially something else
My situation in a brief paragraph: At 50 years of age, I was diagnosed with DCIS in my left breast. I opted for a bilateral mastectomy and recon. Sentinel nodes were clear. No radio or chemo required. That was almost two years ago. Apart from now suffering all the typical effects and symptoms of menopause due to no HRT, I've been blessed with a dream run and fantastic road to full recovery from BC. Completely grateful and thankful for the team and support I've had around me. The latest situation is that I've just been for my second annual post BC ultrasound with a view to reducing visits with my surgeon from three monthly to annually. I was looking forward to kissing cancer goodbye!! However, the sonographer has found an inflamed and vascular looking lymph node in my right armpit (opposite side to original BC diagnosis). It was explained to me that this can be due to a number of reasons: fighting off an infection, breathing in smoke, recent flu vaccinations or, at worst, something more sinister like cancer. My surgeon reviewed this and wants another ultrasound in three months to check on it and if need be, will biopsy then....I have a sick feeling about this. Since I don't feel like I'm fighting an infection, I haven't breathed in smoke lately & my flu vax was done 10 weeks ago in the opposite arm .... I am feeling extremely anxious that cancer has returned and that it's found a spot in my right armpit to grow and spread. A three month wait to see if this is or isn't the case seems like absolute torture and a return to 'the waiting game' that only cancer sufferers know. I'm sure that most of you reading this post can relate to the worry of 'the wait' when you have that initial cancer diagnosis. The awful feeling of being out of control and the unknown picture of what's up ahead. Sleeplessness has returned. Constantly thinking about it has returned. The worry has returned. I have back and neck pain that I'm sure is due to the stress, but am naturally concerned it's cancer returned. Since my mastectomy and recon, I've been able to put all of that aside - until now. Has anyone here experienced a vascular anomaly with their lymph nodes post having BC and recon? If so, what was it attributed to? How was it handled by your team? Should I be asking for a lymph biopsy or intervention earlier than waiting three months or am I worrying unnecessarily? I'd be grateful for any thoughts, honest advice or similar experiences & decisions that anyone can offer.
Check with arms up infront of mirror ladies. Tamworth NSW
My mammograms are all up to date. My last one was in May 2018. It was the 6th October a Saturday evening as I stood in front of the mirror bare from the waist up and reached above my head to tie up my long hair, I noticed a very slight indentation happen under my nipple on my left breast, I thought it was unusual, so I turned to see better under the light. Was there something there? I put my arms down and it disappeared! I put my arms up again and it reappeared. I felt for lumps, there weren’t any, no pain, no discharge and no skin issues. I showed my husband. Then I decided that this must be a “change”, perhaps the sort of change that the “All Clear” letter I received in late May from BreastScreen said that I should report. My doctor sent me for another mammogram and an Ultrasound and if required a “Biopsy” The woman who performed the mammogram said to me “it’s looks all clear, nothing to worry about, but your doctor wants an ultrasound” After the ultrasound was completed the woman who had done it cam back into the room and said “You need to have biopsies in your left breast and armpit” I had invasive ductal carcinoma grade 3 and 1 lymph node that was positive. ER + and PR+ HER2 Negative I have since had a CT Scan which has shown another infected lymph node and a Bone Scan, which was clear. When in the surgeon’s room he noted that the BreastScreen mammograms of 6 moths earlier showed my enlarged lymph node. 😱 After hearing my options for treatment I have gone for a full left mastectomy and axillary clearance, performed on 12th November and at this stage I believe I am in for the full spectrum of treatment. After surgery the surgeon informed me that the results showed I also had high grade DCIS that extended to the inferior margin, so it was heading to my feet. (Solid and Comedo) Margins were involved, however after consult with oncology radiologist they feel it will be taken care of by chemo and radiation. Chemo plan is FEC-D for 4-5 months, the radiation and hormone treatment. Chemo to start on 18th December. I have always had lumps and bumps in my right breast, but have been told they are dense fatty tissue, my left breast always felt clear. My mother had breast cancer and had a lumpectomy with 8 out of 16 positive nodes.