Newly diagnosed

dmc_emmy

Christmas Girl said:

OK, #3 here! Warm welcome to you, also, Cherri/cwestbro
I'm glad you found our group, though I'm sorry for your diagnosis.

We'll be here for you, to share each step along the journey.

Best wishes.

Kind regards, Susan

Welcome Tbore, Chrerri, and Nancy
Sorry you're here because of bc, but you have found a great group of folks (if I say so myself) who will be with you every step of the way! We understand what it means to fight and to survive. Whether we are scared, angry, confused, or even when we have good news to share, you will have someone here to listen. There is someone, I think, online every hour of the day or night (at least that is what I have found). That's pretty darn amazing that you can find an understanding ear anytime you need it.

We welcome you and you are all in our thoughts and prayers.
dmc

Noel

brenda247 said:

hey
i havent been on here long myself but going through a tough time.. i had breast cancer stage 2 and they done a mastomomy took out 3 limpnodes.. they were all clean.. thank god!!! then i was sent to ct scans all over my body just to make sure it any had excaped luckily they hadnt.. thanks god again.. but mine was aggressive and invasive if i dont take treatment it could come back.. i had her2 too and it means that high in protein and good cells can go bad left untreated.. dont worry im still learning as i go and this site really helps me.. everyone is different so hang in there and we are here for you... take care.. god bless..

Welcome Brenda! So sorry
Welcome Brenda! So sorry for the reason that you are here, but, you have come to a very supportive, wonderful site. And, great news on the clean nodes! Congrats!

Her Too New

.9cm sample size, not tumor size?
Hi Tbore...welcome to the club nobody wants to join and to the bottom of a very steep learning curve! I was diagnosed on June 17 with BC Her2/neu +, hormone receptor neg. You've probably found this out by now but I believe the .9cm in your pathology report (if it is from your core biopsy samples) is the sample size of the core biopsy, not the tumor size. From my limited but intense experience in the last week, the tumor size is measured by the ultrasound and MRI scans. I hope you have found an oncologist who takes time with you. As for the other stuff, I hesitate to say...I'm still at the bottom of the learning curve.

Her Too New

iceberg73 said:

TBORE
Hello TBORE and everyone.

I also have been just been informed that I have breast cancer. In reading your message I was a amazed at the lack of response of your medical staff. I have always thought that here in Alaska we were way behind the times and because of that many people still opt to go out of Alaska for treatment.

I assume that your doctor is not part of a cancer treatment center. We have a new Cancer treatment center here that opened last year at Providence Hospital. They work hand in hand with The Fred Hutchinson Center in Seattle. I was told I had cancer on a Friday when my doctor called me she had me set up an appointment with a surgeon that specialized in cancer surgery the next Monday morning. I was schedualed for out patient surgery within two weeks. In the mean time they sent me to a radiology oncologist and set up an appointment for me with a medical onocologist. I saw her yesterday. I had a very small tumor less then .9 cm. It was not there on last years' mamogram. I start radiation today.

I was a little disappointed because I tried to be able to have the balloon treatment which is two radiation treatments a day for 5 days. Unfortuneately there is not enough tissue in the area to protect the chest wall. So they are giving me a boost treatment today and will then remove the balloon. Then I will have to go for radiation treatments for five weeks. After that I will be treated with a estrogeon inhibitor for five years. At least that is the plan for now if nothing changes in the mean time. After hearing your story I won't complain any more about having to go and see all of these different doctors. I am very thankful that my treatment is progressing very quickly.

Can any one give me some tips on a good diet to follow during radiation?

Thanks.

TBORE my prayers are with you. I hope they get your treatment going for you right away. This situation is scary and the longer you have to wait the stronger your fear becomes. I think that once you know that something is being done about it even though you may feel like you are on the set of a science fiction movie during some of this stuff. You are relieved that something is being done and it helps to remove that helpless feeling of not being able to do anything.

God bless.
Nancy

Is there a cancer center close to you that you could go in for another opinion?

miso soup
Hi Nancy,

I heard miso soup was good to have every day (a recommendation from a friend of mine who went through BC radiation treatmeat), but in general eat as many fruits and vegetables as you can. I would seek out a nutritionist who specializes in cancer patients in your area ASAP.

Liz

ladybug22

mimivac said:

Welcome, Tbore
First, take a deep breath. You're going to be all right. It's terrifying and confusing at first, all these unfamiliar terms and no one to tell you what they mean. I second the suggestion to see your doctor as soon as possible to get some answers. Make sure to bring a notebook to write down both your questions and the doctor's answers. It usually also helps to bring someone with you who can help you keep track of all the technical information. Selective hearing during emotional times is very common. What I am about to way is no substitute for your own doctor's assessment. I'm just interpreting your pathology report according to my own layperson's understanding.

Invasive ductal carcinoma or IDC is the most common form of breast cancer. It means that the cancer cells are capable of invading surrounding breast tissue and reside in the ducts of your breasts. Most people have this type of breast cancer.

The Nottingham grade refers to several factors, but basically measures how different the breast cancer cells are from normal cells and how fast they are capable of multiplying. A grade three means that they are poorly differentiated and therefore quite different from normal cells. I also have a grade 3 breast cancer. Many people do.

.9 cm is probably the size of the tumor. This is a very small tumor and very good news. For comparison, my tumor is also considered on the small side and it was 2.6 cm.

Ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS is non-invasive cancer that doesn't have potential to spread to surrounding breast tissue. You have a mixture of both IDC and DCIS, invasive and non-invasive. High grade DCIS is DCIS with cells that look quite a bit different from normal cells. See discussion of Nottingham grade above.

Estrogen and Progesteron are receptors. You are very positive for both, meaning that the tumor is fed by the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This is good news because it means you'll be a candidate for cancer drugs like Tamoxifen and the like. These drugs prevent the body from using estrogen and progesterone to make breast cancer cells.

HER2/neu is also a receptor, but it's a gene rather than a hormome (I believe). HER2 positive breast cancer is generally more aggressive, so it's good that you're negative.

Again, please talk to your doctor. You'll get through this. Come back and let us help you.

Mimi

her 2
you are right about the her2 i am her 2 and it is very aggressive great job mimit Tbore hang in there.walk it one day at a timehugs and love to you

Kylez

Her Too New said:

.9cm sample size, not tumor size?
Hi Tbore...welcome to the club nobody wants to join and to the bottom of a very steep learning curve! I was diagnosed on June 17 with BC Her2/neu +, hormone receptor neg. You've probably found this out by now but I believe the .9cm in your pathology report (if it is from your core biopsy samples) is the sample size of the core biopsy, not the tumor size. From my limited but intense experience in the last week, the tumor size is measured by the ultrasound and MRI scans. I hope you have found an oncologist who takes time with you. As for the other stuff, I hesitate to say...I'm still at the bottom of the learning curve.

I would say the .9 cm is
I would say the .9 cm is your tumor size, which is small. Your tumor is measured after surgery in your pathology report. That is the only true measurement of it. You need to have your oncologist and/or surgeon go over this with you. Please update us when you can!