breast cancer

[Guest guest]

i was diagnosed with breast cancer at 43. due to the fact that my family had

a high incidence of cancer and cancer -related mortality, i was treated

quickly and aggressively. a biopsy will define a lump in the breast as

benign or malignant. many women have fibrocystic disease, and develop lumps

that arent cancerous <malignant>. there are a wide variety of options,

including lumpectomy, which is removal of the lump only, partial mastectomy,

which removes the lump and surrounding tissue, or complete mastectomy, which

is more radical. the lymph nodes under the arm should also be biopsied to

check for any spread of a malignancy.

there may be follow up with chemotherapy, and/or radiation, as well as

surgery. that will depend on what course the doctor takes, and if the lump

is cancer. if the lump is NOT cancer, removal of the lump itself may be

sufficient.

if she is referred to an oncologist <cancer doctor>, the best advice i can

give anyone is to take a tape recorder with you! sounds funny, maybe, but

good docs wont object, and most patients seem to go deaf when their lives

are being outlined by an oncologist...<g> i'm a nurse, and when i had my

first appointment with an oncologist, i didnt hear a word he said. i was

truly grateful i had a tape to listen to later. the docs will outline the

entire plan of care when she has her appointments.

she can expect to go thru tests, biopsies, possible surgery, etc etc etc....

but if she gets a clean bill of health, its all worth it.

i'm going to be 51, and i'm the only one in my family to have lived thru

cancer.

whims