The first time I noticed something in my breast, I didn’t know what it was. It wasn’t a lump, just a little patch that felt a bit different… and then I wasn’t sure if there was anything there at all. Except the next time I checked it was still, sort of, there. My GP wasn’t sure either. She sent me for a scan to be on the safe side.
I had a mammogram and they took me straight in for a double biopsy. They were interested in two areas next to each other. The biopsies were unexpected, and painful, I was on my own and went home feeling shaken. A few days later I got a call asking me to come back in. I knew then that I had cancer and a huge shock ran through my body.
I did indeed have two adjacent tumours.
One was a Grade 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (15mm)
with associated low – intermediate grade Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (15mm)
The other, a Grade 2 Invasive Micropapillary Carcinoma (14mm)
with associated low – intermediate grade Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (27mm) with vascular invasion present.
ER 8 /8 (estrogen receptivity)
PR 7 /8 (Progesterone receptivity)
HER2-
I had “wide local excision” surgery, (a lumpectomy), with a sentinel node biopsy, which returned positive, so I then had complete lymph node clearance, which severed nerves around my armpit. Because my cancers were hormonally treatable I didn’t need chemotherapy. I had a five day course of Radiotherapy, and some Zometa infusions, to strengthen and help prevent recurrence in the bones.
I will have to take Aromatase Inhibitors to prevent recurrence for at least 10 years. I had trouble tolerating the side effects of the first two types available; Anastozole and Letrozole, and am now taking Exemestane with slightly less problem.
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