How was your breast cancer found and what treatments have you had?

Mammogram
Mine was found with my annual mammogram ... otherwise I don't think I ever would have known there was anything there. It looked like a perfectly round "pea" and about the same size. Had a lumpectomy, followed by 12 wks of Taxol and Herceptin ... then I think 35 daily radiation treatments (with herceptin infusions monthly for a year) ... and now I'm doing 10 mg. of tamoxifen in AM and 10 mg. at night. No side effects to speak of. So far so good. :-)

hugs.
teena

I'm IBC
Within about 2 weeks of noticing a lump under arm I had my appt with my PA. By that time breast was very enlarged, orange peel skin and inverted nipple. Saw her in AM, had mammo, sono and biopsies that afternoon. Rad Dr who did biopsies said he was basically positive it was IBC but would call me the the next morn when he had the path - he did at 8 am Aug 8, 2009. Next week I saw surgeon Rads and Chemo. Many scans done. Had port put in Aug 25 and started Chemo (A/C) the next day. Had surgery 2 weeks after last A/C, started 12 weekly Taxol 3 weeks after mod.rad.mast. Started Femara 1 week into rads. Rads started 1 week after last Taxol - burned bad after rads. Have had lots of problems with Lymphedema but my FlexiTouch MLD is doing great with it.

Riding NED now.

Susan

disneyfan2008 said:

routine Mammo
called back next day-then sent for biopsy shortly after lumpectomy and then 8 wks daily radiation! (all started 3 yrs ago this WEEK)

Mammo
Mine was found during my routine mammo. Went back for ultrasound then biopsy, dx'd Jan 29th 2010.Stage 1 IDC. Had lumpectomy, then chemo, 30 rads and now on Tamoxifen for about 5 1/2 months. God Bless
(((Hugs))) Janice

Palpable lump
I felt a very large lump in my breast that seemed to grow up overnight. Mammogram, biopsy, and MRI later I was diagnosed with IDC. Had surgery the following week, then started on 6 courses of TAC chemo for 4 months, followed by 6.5 weeks of radiation. I was doing Zometa, but with recent news of its ineffectiveness for pre-menapausal women, we have decided to stop. I am now done with all treatments.

Mimi

4/09 Annual mammogram found
4/09 Annual mammogram found calcifications
6/09 SCN Biopsy and diagnosis of DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma InSitu)
(stage 0, grade 3, 13mm x 9mm)
7/09 lumpectomy with clear margins
9/09 5 days of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI)
11/09 started 5 years of Tamoxifen
~~Connie~~

IBC also
Monday evening...found swelling in left armpit.
Tuesday afternoon...saw primary care doc. He sent me for immediate mammo and ultrasound.
Rads Doc told me 99% sure it was cancer.
Wednesday morning...biopsy.
Thursday morning...confirmation phone call.

One week later...appt w/surgeon. He did skin biopsy to confirm IBC, and said chemo first.
A couple more days...met with oncologist. IBC confirmed. Scheduled many tests and scans.

Aug 26, 2010...first of 6 rounds of chemo, TAC begins.

Jan 14, 2011...bilateral mastectomy, reconstruction recommended in a year.

Sometime in the future...radiation treatment and a long dance with NED.

crselby said:

4/09 Annual mammogram found
4/09 Annual mammogram found calcifications
6/09 SCN Biopsy and diagnosis of DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma InSitu)
(stage 0, grade 3, 13mm x 9mm)
7/09 lumpectomy with clear margins
9/09 5 days of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI)
11/09 started 5 years of Tamoxifen
~~Connie~~

Interesting..... good post Ü
In 2003 at my yearly I and my ob/gyn felt a lump we both thought it was a milk glan since I had just finished breast feeding my daughter (I know I know but she didnt turn three until December that year!!!! lol) he suggested I go for a mammo just to be sure. My not so wonderful husband was not working (nothing new) so we had no insurance so I blew it off..... fast forward 5 years I started having horrible back pains so bad that my legs would go numb I would have to sit down or squat to relieve the pressure and feel my legs again..... another year later I started having horrid back pains cramps like a charlie horse in my back. A friend of mine is an orthopedic so he sent me for an MRI he saw some questionable areas wanted to admit me to the hospital I refused because I'm stubborn. Two weeks later I tried to go to work my boss, also one of my bestest friends, demanded I go to the hospital. I did Was admitted stayed 7 days did MRI's CT's liver biopsy did a mammogram, did a biopsy of both breast was dx'd with stage iv breast cancer with bone & liver mets. Started treatment by pill form the next week, did that for a month (made me sick!!) Had port installed in my chest started avastin and abraxane on a weekly schedule and zolota once a month did that for a little over a year, the tumor on my liver GONE breast GONE dealing with the bones, had increased tumor markers so was sent for a spinal tap (PAINFUL!!) was DX'd with cancer in my CF (spinal fluid) was sent to a neuro to have a ommaya reservoir put in my head had 6 treatments to my head it malfunctioned and started releasing the chemo directly in my brain!!! Started having seizures was weak was having to use a walker to walk, had to use a shower stool, really scary went to the hospital several times finally in November I had 2 seizures in one day ambulance came took me to the hospital was admitted had MRI's CT's and they found a golf ball size pocket of fluid and a cyst on my brain had the reservoir, cyst and fluid removed stayed in the hospital for 5 days 3 in ICU yuchh had to have 2 treatments in my spine NO FUN AT ALL had a new
Ommaya reservoir (made by a different company) put in on my birthday scheduled for my first treatment on Wednesday this week!!! I take Xeloda 6 pills two weeks on one off at home. Shew that makes me tired!!! O and when I was off the xeloda in November the tumor in my left breast reared up again, so I am having to have another PET scan to see what it has decided to do!!!!

let me tell ya fun timed indeed Ü

During a breast self exam.
I
During a breast self exam.

I had a Lumpectomy in Sep 09. 1.5 cm IDC lump, microscopic amount of cancer in sentinnel lymph node. Stage 2a. ER/PR+, Her2+.
Began chemo in Nov 09 and finished in Feb 10. 6 sessions with 3 different types of chemo. I had big "D" with all of them. I was in the hospital for 2 days after my 3rd session due to dehydration. Also changed oncs in the middle of chemo. The first one was a jerk.
Started rads in May 10 and finished in Jul 10. 28 regular and 5 booster. Very lucky with rads I did not burn at all and I have very fair skin.
Finished Herceptin in Nov 10.
Currently taking Femara.

Hugs

Donna

Mine was discovered at my annual mammo 4/10
then had ultra sound 1 week later, then biopsy week after that. Confirmed it was IDC - HER2+ stage 2 - 15 lymph nodes removed, only 2 were cancerous. Lumpectomy 5/10 - chemo began 6/10 - finished 10/1/10 - started radiation 1/17/11.

Annual mammo and sono. Never
Annual mammo and sono. Never felt a thing was blown away. Happened on Oct 21, 2010. Invasive ductal. I had a mastectomy on Nov 5th followed by tomaxifin and zometa infusions once every 6 months for two years. Having my expander removed 2/22/11 so that they can do an MRI of the chest wall ( my margins werent clear) probably will have radiation following. I am stage 1, no lymph nodes estrogen + her2nu - Doing well but dealing with side effects from tomox