Received a call from my breast Dr with the final results or the more specialized pathology testing on the tissue and lymph nodes.
With my lymph nodes the initial testing showed negative or clear sentinel nodes. This is the typical test that is done during a mastectomy that gives a pretty reliable indication if there are cancer cells in the node. I can't remember exactly what its called. I had a sentinal node and 5 auxiliary nodes taken and tested-all negative by the path lab during the surgery.
After surgery all the nodes and tissue is sent to the pathology lab for more specialized testing. It was here that one of my centinel lymph nodes tested positive with micromastetic clusters of cancer cells. These are normally not detected unless viewed by using a procedure called immunohistochemistry My other nodes were clear. Alarming to say the least. I now fall into a highly controversial area of uncertainty of what to do next for my cancer treatment. What is remarkable is that many people would have had the first lymph node test done and that was that- your determent of your treatment was decided. This 2nd testing of the lymph nodes using the immunohistochemistry is relatively new and my results, initial negative result but now positive has thrown me into a controversial grey area in cancer treatment options.
The other bad news is and I have to say I am numb typing this, my initial indications through MRIs and ultrasounds was that my tumor was anywhere from 2.5 cm to 3cm. This was confirmed thru UCSF as well. After the pathology department finished with examining my tissue, my tumor is really 11cm. Yea, shocking.
Invasive lobular carcinoma really is the hidden breast cancer. It develops as a singular line of cancer cells then branches out like fingers and continues to spread this way. It never creates a mass so it is rarely detected my mammogram and sometimes is underestimated in size with an ultrasound and MRI. Well I'm living proof of that.
So these 2 factors have really thrown me into a grey area of cancer treatment. A tumor this size is considered huge by breast cancer standards but that there is only micromastetic cells present is even more shocking that not more nodes are involved.
I am awaiting results from another test that will determine the likely hood of cancer appearing in my body else where. This score will also guide me in my next treatment options. I might be facing a bone scan and CT scan to confirm the cancer has not spread to other parts of my body as well.
As for my reconstruction, all looks good. Had the ace bandages taken off and I'm now in the mother of all athletic bras. Still have my drains in but hoping they come out next week. The incisions did not look bad. I have the expander in already and I have cleavage. Visually it is a good thing to see.
Next week is filled with more Dr. appts and more results.
I can't describe how disappointed I am in all this news but what ya gonna do? Get educated and move forward to get out of this hell hole.
Keep me company as I travel thru my journey facing breast cancer again.
Why would anyone want to read about someone else's problem when you have plenty of your own? Maybe one day a loved one, a friend, or you will be diagnosed with breast cancer. My blog might offer insite into cancer resources, thoughts, questions to ask, or guidance in helping you deal with this disease. These are my experiences and suggestions. Every breast cancer is different. If you are touched by breast cancer, be sure to consult your Dr. for direction in treatment.
I equate my blog to the emergency evacuation instruction the flight attendants do before you take off on an airplane. Nobody pays attention to them but when your plane is about to crash you think, "sh*t, why didn't I pay more attention to them? Which color cord do I pull first again?" We have so many things going on in our lives that one more thing to dwell on that doesn't apply to us right now may not be important but when it does, we wish we would have paid attention.
My blog is something you might read a couple times or maybe follow. Hopefully you gain some knowledge about breast cancer, in particular, Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC). It is the 2nd most common type of invasive breast cancer however it only accounts for approx. 10% of all invasive breast cancers. It is the silent breast cancer. It is generally not detected with a mammo but rather an ultrasound. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) is what I have been diagnosed with. My suggestion to every woman who is of mammo age insist on an ultrasound with your mammos.
UPDATE 3/2011
I have had my bilaterial mastectomy and I am recovering. ILC is a sneaky cancer as I said above. My various Dr.'s here and at UCSF confirmed the size of my tumor should be between 2.5cm-3.5cm with possibilty but not most likely, 7cm. After my surgery, my tumor was confirmed to be 11cm. My Dr.'s are very knowledgeable and are on top of things. This is simply the truth about ILC. I had mammos every 6 months, ultra sounds, and MRI's. With all of these, it was not picked up until 1/2011. The good news, if you can call it that, only 1 sentinel node out of 2 has micromastic findings and 5 aux. nodes were negative.
Be sure to start my adventure from the blog history on the right. I have tried to bold points to make it easier to extract the important information. If there is anything you get out of this blog, refer to my Dr.'s listed below if you know someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer in the East Bay. These Dr.'s; Dr. Gottlieb, Dr. Wotowic, and Dr. Sherman are my 3 musketeers....all for 1 and 1 for all!
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