Likely breast cancer after ultrasound

[spartanrunnergirl]

Hi all after routine mammogram I was referred for an ultrasound, which I had today and the radiologist said it's likely a cancer, thus did a few core biopsies. I did not know that cancer could be detected at ultrasound stage but she was pretty certain it was cancer and said the biopsies were to see what they were dealing with. Has anyone else had this? Thank you

Hi, just thought I'd post on here about my experience after being diagnosed in 2019 as I got a letter yesterday telling me that my 5 year mammogram was all clear and I am discharged from all follow up.
I don't think you have said whether you got the results of the Her2?
I was HER2+ and so had herceptin.
Telling my adult DC was tough but I wished I hadn't delayed it.
Good luck to all.

My last post for the evening! I think there needs to be a fact sheet for people on what not to say to a cancer patient. My favourite was a school mum who said "have you only got five years to live?" because she thought that that was standard for people who had cancer. I blame a lack of education on this subject and sheer stupidity at times. She seemed surprised when I said I expected to live. People are weird!

You are still medicated though? I've got 10 years of Tamoxifen. I was also HER2+ and had a year of Herceptin. You can say you'd like to continue to be monitored. They can say no. However, I know plenty of people who are for their own peace of mind. Congrats on your discharge though! That's brilliant and all being well with my next mammo, it will be the same for me. Fingers crossed! 🤞

Also @Skap. My kids were 8 and 21 when I was diagnosed. Told the eldest straight away as she was waiting for me to report back from my diagnostic appointment. Decided not to tell the youngest until I knew if I was having chemo or not. He's autistic and I knew I'd need to prepare him for a drastic change in my appearance so I only told him when chemo was confirmed. As it happens, I was a fortunate cold cap success but on reflection, I'm glad he knew as it was easier to navigate single parent life while I was going through it. It's hard telling them though. Wishing you a king and healthy life ahead

@TheFormidableMrsC No medication as I was ER-.
No option to continue to be monitored presumably because I am not on any drugs? This was NHS I guess private would be different.
I do however intend to pay for a private mammogram in between 3 yearly screening ones.
Friends from a BC group I joined 4 years ago still have the medication and all that goes with it years after treatment.It must be a constant reminder whereas I seldom think about it.
HER2+ used to be the killer until herceptin so I'm grateful for that.

Thanks @Skap for sharing, glad to hear you've had your 5 year mamo clear! That must feel great or is it relief? I can't imagine.

I have just spoken to the nurse and I am Er+8, Pr+7 and my HER2 score is -2

I don't know enough about what that means yet and Google is freaking me out. I have an appt with my consultant on Wednesday to go over the surgery plans and the histology.

Please please don't Google. It's the first thing my surgeon said to me. Information is outdated and does not apply to you were his exact words. Stick to your BCN or perhaps the Breast Cancer Now helpline. Google causes so much unnecessary anxiety.

Good advice from @TheFormidableMrsC . You are probably starting to learn that there is no such thing as just breast cancer. There are so many multiple variables that each case is different and the treatment is individually tailored.
You will feel better after Wednesday because you will have a plan.

@Skap
@TheFormidableMrsC

Thank you both, yes it is a minefield and there is so much about different breast cancers. I suppose that's good as there has been so much research but it is overwhelming at times.

@spartanrunnergirl Don’t Google what ever you do , but I’m going to give you a positive note because my god any positives on this journey are welcome !
You have hormone positive cancer which is the most common and also can be treated and prevented from recurring with targeted therapy .. hang onto that x

Im 3 weeks today post mastectomy and this weekend I went away to a convention for my industry , I taught , was on my feet all day and partied in the evening .
Today I feel half dead but it was worth it 🤣

I went because I didn’t want to miss out and I wanted some fun before chemotherapy starts but all weekend I had “you’re such a warrior “ “you’re so brave “ “ my mates aunties friend still worked 24 hours a day during chemo “ “ you’re so strong “
I know it’s all well meaning but I had to go a bit deaf this weekend !

Go you @Rockschooldropout I’m fed up as I should be flying out to Greece on Weds for a conference. Booo to cancer.

@spartanrunnergirl echoing rockschool’s words. I’m also hormone positive.

Oohms to all who need them.
I really hope that your “fuckoffs” stay in your head when you need them to and are loud when you wish.

I met my oncologist today and we got on well - important to me. She also went to school just down the road from me which is quite a coincidence! I’m to have 12x pax and then 4x Ec plus some bone strengthening drugs. Then hormone tablets for five years. Yay. 😬

Sorry for the delayed check in, and also that I’m not replying to any pps right now. Head is a bit (over)full, still processing. Consultant had offered to call rather than get me back in for results, I now suspect because she didn’t expect to have anything important to share. So when the secretary called to ask me in for an appointment I queried if it was actually necessary, and pointed out that if it was, then that meant I would be worrying since she had said she wouldn’t need to see me….
Consultant called 10 mins later. My scribbled notes say DCIS, early stage pre-cancerous activity. Operation for sure but need to check whether this is singular or part of something else so MRI required (did that yesterday).
Next appointment is on Tuesday morning to get full results and agree plan.
Whilst I’m super grateful that it sounds (at the moment) as though it’s all as low grade and non-threatening as can be (& super aware that many of you are going through way worse), I did not see it coming, and with a whole bunch of other life stuff right now, don’t have any emotional capacity, so it’s flattened me completely.

@Fillybuster im cautiously optimistic for you. If DCIs I think they like to clear it but as you say, technically pre cancerous. Let’s hope that the mri shows nothing else. Thank heavens for science - mine was picked up early too and had developed a little more but if I’d not gone for screenings it would have been a whole other situation.

wishing you well for Tuesday.

I start chemo next week and have had 14” of hair lopped off this morning to make the process easier to deal with. I’m sending it to the little princess trust.

hoping everyone else is buggering on ok.

@Fillybuster try to distract yourself for now, it can all wait until Tuesday when you find out the results and your treatment plan. I remember the doctor at the breast clinic looking me in the eye and saying 'this isn't good is it's and I felt like my world had caved in. That was 9 months ago, I'm through my hospital treatment, my hairs growing back and I'm back at work. Hormone therapy for 10 years, abemaciclib and bisphosphonates for a couple. But the worst of It is done now. It gets a bit easier mentally when you know the plan, the waiting is the worst. And it does sound as though (hopefully) it is very treatable, that's the bit to keep in your head. One day at a time and all that - I ate a lot of chocolate in the early days to get me through 🤣 Welcome to the shit club, but you will meet some of the most amazing women along the way, some here on this thread. My inbox is always open if you need anything x

@dancingwhilstfacingthemusic good luck for chemo! I had pax and EC too, but the other way round. Good on you for sending your hair to the little princess trust. I always intended to, but then I got a bit scared about losing it. Hope the side effects aren't too bad for you x

Ahh @Fillybuster totally understandable that you feel flattened. You get a result then .. more scans and test and the wait and uncertainty is excruciating.

Sending love to you xx

I had my follow up with the consultant today and was pleased to hear my Her2 is only +1. If the tumour looks like the biopsy after my operation and lymph nodes are clear which they think they are from my scans, I could get away with surgery and radio - fingers crossed.

Then she told me they were going to put a magseed in there and then which was a bit of a surprise so back to the original radiologist and room where I was told I had cancer two weeks ago, promptly burst into tears 😂.

But overall a good day .

Sending sisterly love to you all.

Just joining in here as after a mammoth journey I’m diagnosed with her2 positive invasive ductsl carcinoma garde 3 ( don’t know staging yet).
I was so interested and heartened to read of some mumsnettrers who are clear after 5 years and weee her2 positive . Not brave enough to start my own thread as my journey started a few weeks ago and I’m terribly fragile and emotional so would just like to lurk here and read if ok x

@lisalisa I am sorry to hear this. There’s plenty of support from this who are or have been in a similar boat. Join in when you’re ready.

you may have also found this thread, with a few further compatriots getting through these difficult times: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/general_health/5143517-cancer-support-thread-95-no-googling-allowed?page=27&reply=139378826

That was me. Grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma HER2+ and extensive DCIS five years ago.
HER2 is treated with herceptin, a relatively new drug which has revolutionised the treatment of this particular BC. It used to have much poorer outcomes than other kinds of BC but not any more. You have to have chemotherapy with it as that's how it's licensed. It was supposed to be a year for me but they cut it short in April 2020 because of covid and I had 6 months.
Interestingly I found later that my aunt who had BC in the 1990s was on the original drug trial for herceptin. She's 90 now.

Good luck @lisalisa

Thank you both . My latest worry is that I’ve had what I think is a urine infection for the last 6 or so weeks ( I suffer from them a lot and especially since menopause ) but this time it’s really strange as I’m symptom free till about 11am and then symptoms start and are usually pretty bad by the evening . Antibiotics hadn’t cleared this one up . How can I start chemo with lingering possible UTI? I’m seeing the oncologist tomorrow and am desparate to start chemo as I’m six weeks post diagnosis now and yet to start

I hope the oncologist can give you answers on that and that you soon have a treatment plan. They seem to have quite an armoury of stuff they can use. Fingers crossed for your appointment.

Hi @lisalisa, I too was a IDC HER2+ patient almost five years ago. My treatment was a bit upside down because it was at the beginning of the pandemic so I had immediate surgery a few days after diagnosis (lumpectomy) on the day of the first lockdown in fact. This was followed by radiotherapy, 4 cycles of Paclitaxel chemo and a year of Herceptin. My tumour was stage 1 but grade 2 and completely contained with no lymph involvement so that was good news.

Of course you've had a huge shock and it's a lot to take in. You will feel much more in control when you know what your treatment plan is and what to expect. I hope this becomes easier for you . I remember the surgeon giving me some helpful advice, one was not to Google as it was outdated and none of it related to me and to remember that it would be curative. Things have improved hugely and continue to do so. Try and remain positive. I know that is hard at times but it makes a difference. It'll be ok ❤️

Today I am 3 weeks post double mastectomy and am seeing the oncologist soon for next steps. I am still fragile and exhausted, hate back sleeping. Had sarcomas drained which are coming back and can't imagine resuming my busy job at this point. I hope I will feel better when I have a plan.

Sorry had saromas drained.

@lisalisa do you know what type of chemo you'll be having yet? I'm triple positive and now 5 weeks into weekly taxol, and three weekly herceptin, it's not been too bad so far, I hope everything goes well for you and you get started soon xx