Update From My Wife's Appointment This Morning.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

Hello again. We had the follow up appointment this morning after having heard the news that my wife has breast cancer. The morning started off on a bad note when on the way to the appointment, my back tire blew out the sidewalls and was practically melted from overheating itself. Thankfully we were close to the exit, so my wife and I walked the mile and a half left to get to the doctor's office. Talk about luck huh?

Anyway, we got the initial pathology report and I wish I knew what it all meant. Basically, she has high-grade (3) invasive ductal carcinoma that is going to require aggressive treatment. One of the smaller tumors removed turned out to not be a tumor but a lymph node inside the breast that had been affected. That really scared us but the doc said that might not be so bad because hopefully the cancer radiated to that one rather than to the main ones under the arm.

Either way, she needs a complete mastectomy and months of aggressive radiation treatment. We know she's going to lose all of her hair and all that other stuff. Needless to say she is in shock, but knows we must do whatever we must to get through this. She has to go next week for an MRI to check a lot more rigorously for other affected breast areas, including a closer look at her other breast, and also next week has to go for bone scans and cat scans. We're so nervous and are praying that this hasn't spread anywhere else and that it isn't anywhere else untreatable in her body. The doc says she thinks she's 100% curable but that the whole process is going to take 9 months and that there is a hard road ahead of us.

Personally, I just wish I understood some of the terms in the report more. I tried to research some of them online but was quickly terrified by things I was reading such as 5 year survival rates. I just hope the doc is being straight with us when she says she's confident everything will turn out ok after aggressive chemo and other treatment.

We're just so scared right now and can't believe this is real. It is so sudden and there were NO risk factors for her. She's only 34. But that means the cancer is probably even more aggressive. I'm just going to have to be by her side and as strong as possible and I know we'll get through this. But my God is this scary. I just can't wait for all of these tests to come back and hope to hell that they are all clean. No matter what, we were told it'll be no less than 3 weeks until the mastectomy/reconstructive surgery, and since the other lymph nodes won't be checked until that surgery I guess we're going to have some time to dwell.

But I just wanted to give an update. I'm embedding the initial pathology report below. PLEASE if any of you know any of these terms look it over and tell me what any of it means.

Thanks so much,

OMC

[mwdem]

1. Stay cool,

and check your pm.

[flamingyouth]

2. Check your PM

:hug:

[FuzzySlippers]

3. I'm sorry. I posted to your other thread before I saw this.

I'm sure your doc is being straight with you when she says she believes this is 100% curable. I know you're incredibly scared right now, but your wife will get through this with your love and support. :hug:

[OzarkDem]

4. Some good news

Those tumors are pretty small, even though they are high grade. You'll know more after the estrogen receptor tests. Also make sure they are doing a FISH test for the Her2 neu oncogene.

She should also ask about getting the OncotypeDX test, a test that looks at the genetic profile of the tumor itself. It can give a recurrence score - telling the likelihood that her cancer will recur. It can help them decide whether to recommend chemo or not.

Yes, its very frustrating to get breast cancer when you have no family history or risk factors. About 80% of breast cancers are that way (now you know why I correct people on the forums when they try to find ways to blame women for getting this). As one researcher I know said about breast cancer - "we don't know what we don't know".

But don't worry, the treatments are getting better and better they know more about how to target specific treatments to specific types of bc.

You're doing great so far, hang in there, we're praying for both of you. So far, its looking very good that they are small.

:grouphug:

[pecwae]

5. I heartily second what OD said

about the Oncotype testing.

Again, check your PM.

:hug:

[OzarkDem]

6. And ask all the questions you want of the docs

Use your pad to write down questions in advance, then ask the next time you talk to them.

Most really good oncologists will also let you call them anytime during the day without waiting for the next appointment.

[Imalittleteapot]

7. Check you PM n/t

[RiffRandell]

8. Wow. I am so sorry and my thoughts are with you and your wife.

I was a caregiver to my husband who had head and neck cancer.

Learn EVERYTHING you can about this type of cancer.

Ask the doctor questions.

Keep us posted.

CP