A very warm welcome to Cancer Chat Lyricoflight although I'm sorry to hear you now have an anxious wait for your mammogram and biopsy results.

Waiting for news is always difficult but our members, many of which have been through this process, are here for you Lyricoflight and I'm sure it won't be long until some of them stop by to offer you their support and advice.

We have some tips and advice on how to cope with the wait on the forum but if it would help to talk things through with one of our nurses, they're just a phone call away. You can contact them on 0808 800 4040, Monday - Friday between 9a.m - 5p.m and they will do all they can to ease your mind and address any other questions and/or concerns you may have at this time.

We're sending you all our support Lyricoflight and will have our fingers crossed for good news on the 26th.

Kind regards, 

Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

Thank you so much Steph !

Hi Lyricoflight,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

I am so sorry to hear of your anxiety, but not at all surprised. Waiting for results is one of the scariest times of our cancer journey, especially when you are doing it for a second time. I discovered a lump in my other breast, less than 6 months after my lumpectomy. My surgeon was pretty sure that this was another cancer. Fortunately, for me, biopsy proved him wrong and my lump was only pre-cancerous. Almost a year after my initial surgery, I found another lump, in my original breast and this time, I wasn't so fortunate. I lost my mum to secondary breast cancer, 12 years after she was first diagnosed with a primary and was absolutely terrified that I was about to go the same way. 

I had 2 teenage children at the time and feared that I would never live to see their milestones in life. Instead, I have been very fortunate. It is now 15 years since that awful period. At that time, I had a double mastectomy, then saw them leave school, go to university, graduate, find gainful employment, fall in love, marry and they have now  provided me with 2 beautiful granddaughters.

This waiting period is torture and it is difficult to concentrate on anything else but the possible results. Try to keep busy and to occupy your head with other matters. I found doing a jigsaw, took my mind off the wait for a while. What about visiting friends or family, but trying to avoid any talk of cancer, until you know the outcome. Going out for a meal, going to the theatre or watching a film, can help too.

It is only natural to be scared. Your family and friends all mean well and are trying to placate you, as well as they know how. Don't worry if you find their optimism frustrating - most of us do, but it does come from a good place.

I shall be thinking of you on 26th and I hope that all goes well. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards.

Jolamine xx

Thank you for your kind words and advice Jolamine. You certainly went through a lot which must have been so difficult with teenaged children to worry about. My twins are 31 but both suffer with really bad anxiety. I am trying to keep busy with reading and painting but I have been disabled and housebound for 6 years so I can't get out. My local priest came to visit me and said "Oh dear, the lump must be getting bigger each week" and "Don't worry if anything happens to you, you will be an angel" I couldn't believe he said that !!   Thanks again.

Best wishes

Lyricoflight x

Hi Lyricoflight,

I am glad to hear that you are interested in reading and painting. These are two good ways to take your mind off the wait. The one thing I forgot to say yesterday, is to steer clear of consulting "Dr Google". Much of the information there is poorly researched, out of date and aimed at the more spectacular cases. You'll find that it doesn't really tell you anything, but it certainly adds to your anxiety.

I have found that the more positive I can appear about the outcome, when talking to family and friends, the better they seem to cope with my diagnosis. What a thing for your priest to say to you - he's certainly not a diplomat! Fortunately, your cancer doesn't progress that quickly and, if there is something there, they will deal with it as quickly as possible.

Do please keep in touch and let us know how things go for you. Remember, that we are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Got results today. I was expecting them to say it was cancer again but not that I can't have a mastectomy, chemo or radiotherapy due to my poor health. I can only have a lumpectomy. Today they found a lump in my arm pit as well so now have to wait for that biopsy. Also I can't be put under anethestic for the op. In a bit of a daze. 

Hi Lyricohlight,

I am so sorry to hear of your results. and can understand how disappointed you feel. Is this the same type and stage of cancer, or has it advanced with the passage of time? There are ways around having surgery, without a general anaesthetic.

My hubby is shortly due to have an operation under local anaesthetic, as he has heart failure and a large number of other co-morbidities, which make it unsafe for him to have a general. I have previously stopped breathing on the operating table, when having a Cholecystectomy, under general anaesthetic. As a result of this, I now have to have fibre-optic intubation and have to swallow the camera, without coughing, prior to having any anaesthetic. This always heightens my concerns about any surgery. I have had a number of different operations since that event, but fortunately, all have gone well.

A lumpectomy will still remove any cancer that is present. Your pathology result post-surgery will confirm this. Have you got a date for the biopsy to your under arm yet? I am keeping everything crossed that this is clear. Do please keep in touch and let us know how it goes.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hello Jolamine

After one doctor told me my breast lump was cancer and that my options were limited to lumpectomy only she said another doctor wanted to speak to me and examine me. He found a lump in my arm pit which I hadn't felt and which hadn't shown up 2 weeks prior when I had a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. Luckily they were able to biopsy the 2nd lump straight away. Now it's another wait for results. They said they were going to discuss my medical history with an anesthetist who deals with patients with complicated medical problems. Yesterday I found myself having to comfort everyone else because they were upset with the news. They said my breast lump is grade 3. I was so dazed I didn't ask what that means. I have a nurse assigned to me that I can contact. I don't think you take it all in when they tell you.

Thanks for replying.

Take care

Lyricoflight x

Hi Lyricoflight,

We nearly all feel that we don't take much in when we are given our results. It is all so much to take in and research shows that we forget 80% of what is said, before we leave the hospital.

The two important factors in a cancer diagnosis are stage and grade. There are 5 stages, graded from 0-4. These describe the size of the tumour, the number of lymph nodes affected and whether the tumour has metastasised. Stage 0 is the earliest stage, where there is no spread. Stage 4 denotes when the cancer has spread to other organs. 

There are 3 grades. Grade1 cells look similar to normal cells and are likely to grow slowly. Grade 2 denote an intermediate grade tumour, where the cells look slightly different to normal. Grade 3 is a high grade tumour, where the cells look abnormal and are likely to grow more quickly.

It sounds as if you were lucky to have that second opinion and that the second consultant found the lump under your arm - not that you want any more lumps, but if this needs treatment, it can all be done at the same time.

It is good to hear that you have already had your biopsy. Did they say how long you would have to wait for the results?

It is also reassuring that they are going to discuss your case with an anaesthetist. Here's hoping that they can come up with a suitable solution for your surgery. 

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx