Thank you for the update from your appointment today.I am sorry to hear that it is cancer and that you are no further forward as to the source. Do you have long to wait for your CT and MRI? It is always a more aanxious time when you have to undergo these additional tests, but here's hoping that they will provide more answers for your mum.
Please keep us updated on any progress. The main point to keep hold of is that it is still treatable, so please try to stay positive.
thank you for your quick reply. It sounds bizarre, but we are actually relieved to have some answers (although it's not the whole picture) as we were thinking it was spreading as we were waiting a few weeks for results and treatment to start, but that's not the case and that's not how cancer works.
yes, hearing a medical professional tell you that it is treatable (even if scans show it has spread to other places) is such a relief.
The unknown is a frightening place to be. It is so much easier to cope with everything when you know more. I am glad to hear that the wait for results won't cause the cancer to spread in the time you are waiting.
I hope you are well. We had some scan results. The CT scan showed that there was no spread to any organs which is great news! The CT scan did show up 2 suspicious areas on my Mum's spine (one lower and one middle) so the consultant has scheduled a bone scan to rule out anything sinister. She did say that these areas could be caused by degeneration (mum is 67 and has suffered with back problems such as slipped discs most of her life) so we are hoping it is that!
the MRI picked up a suspicious area deep within the breast that would not have been picked up on a routine mammogram, so that's good news that the MRI has found it. We are waiting for more biopsy results of this area and they have put a metal wire in to help locate this area as it is so small. The consultant again seemed pretty positive that this is the primary area of breast cancer that has caused lymph nodes to swell (and I think she said it is confirmed triple negative so definitely a different cancer to the one mum had 16 years ago). we have to wait for a bone scan to be scheduled and have the results of that before we can start some sort of treatment, but due to the time of year, it doesn't look like it will be done before January. This is worrying for me as 3 weeks doesn't seem like a long time but you never know what might happen in 3 weeks. All being well, we will have a clear bone scan and then have a full mastectomy and lymph node clearance followed by chemotherapy, or chemotherapy first to shrink the lymph node and then surgery.
thank you again for your kind words and support, you have really helped me through this difficult time.
The news that there is no spread is excellent news. The fact that there are 2 suspicious areas on your mum's spine is not such good news, so I am glad to hear that a bone scan has been scheduled and hope that this indicates natural degeneration and nothing more.
It sounds as if it is fortunate that your mum had the MRI, which showed up the suspicious area deep within her breast, as heaven only knows when it would have been discovered otherwise. It is now normal procedure to put the wire in, but again sounds fairly positive that it is a small area and, that your consultant thinks that this is the primary area.
It is unfortunate that your mum has been caught up in the Christmas holiday fever and has to wait that bit longer for her scan. Here's hoping that she gets it early in the new year. She has probably had bone scans before, but just in case she hasn't, tell her that there is nothing to worry about, as it's not nearly as bad as a CT or MRI. Also I found my double mastectomy much easier to cope with and recover from than my lumpectomy. Many others have found this too.
Do your best to enjoy Christmas, despite having this hanging over you both. If someone is looking for a useful present for your mum, she will be glad of nightwear that opens down the front if she has to have a mastectomy.
Happy New Year to you, I hope you are well. I thought I would update this thread with positive news that you mum had yesterday at her last results meeting with the consultant incase it can help anyone following
The breast cancer hasn't spread to any organs or bones. The cancer in the lymph nodes is triple negative but the very small area of cancer in the breast (that was only picked up through an MRI and would not have been found on a mammogram/ultrasound) is showing signs that it could be treated with Herceptin. My mum can expect to start 6 rounds of chemotherapy treatment within the next 2 weeks to shrink the size of the lymph nodes. Surgery then to do a full lymph node clearance and either a lumpectomy/mastectomy and then possibly a year of Herceptin. Now the wait for results is over we can concentrate on moving forward and getting treatment underway. There's a long way to go yet and the battle of chemotherapy and surgery but to speak to the consultant and for her to have so much positivity that the final outcome will be a good one really made my year (and it is only day 3 of 2020!)
thank you Jolamine once again for your support throughout this difficult time and if I can be of any support to anyone else going through this horrible experience I am only a message away.
Thank you for the update on your mum's results. It is so good to hear positive news after all these tests. The fact that there is no spread to other organs is great news.
I'm sure that your mum won't be looking forward to having chemo, but here's hoping that it shrinks her nodes. Tell your mum to drink copious amounts of water while she is having chemo. I have had both a lumpectomy and a double mastectomy. I faced both with dread, but the surgery was a lot easier than I expected.
I sincerely hope that her consultant's positivity has rubbed off on to your mum, as it is so much more helpful to face this with a positive outlook. I am hoping and praying that the final outcome will be a good one.
Here's wising you both A Healthy and Happy New Year.
It's good to read that although the outcome for some have not been favourable, there is positivity with treatment in site :)
I had a mole deeply excised on my back by a plastic surgeon in hospital, over four weeks ago.
At the time of my procedure I was told my results would be back in two weeks.
I phoned the secretary as two weeks had passed and she said, she wishes they wouldn't say that in clinic as the wait is more like five weeks. Regardless of the results.
That wasn't very reasuring to hear and the wait is agony.
I am so sorry to hear about your anxiety in the wait for the result of your biopsy. I had a similar experience after I had an excision biopsy on my back by a plastic surgeon. I was told by him that I would get my results within 4 weeks, but the review appointment came in for 4 months. I was fortunate in that I had already been given an appointment for 1 week to remove stitches from another lesion just below my eye. When the nurse asked how I had been, I told her that I had been fine, but was concerned at the length of time I was having to wait to get my results.
The nurse announced that the plastic surgeon was in the unit that day. She went and got him. He phoned his secretary and told me that my results were already in. He was able to tell me there and then that the results were benign.
I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer and a number of false alarms in the past 10 years, so I am all too familiar with the agony of waiting. You will find that the waiting time is the same, whether the results are good or bad. Try to keep yourself as busy as you can until your appointment. This will make the waiting time seem shorter.
Do please let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.
Hi everyone I'm currently have a biopsy appointment on the 16th I've noticed that there's a ulcer on the roof of my tongue and has been there couple of month. I had a tooth out and got an abscess which came and went with antibiotics but due to always working missed 2 occasions on getting it out I eventually got it out the day I had to see the specialist. Went to a&e last week as the abscess had grown and was worried about my tongue the doctor told me that absesses after a while lay low and don't hurt each time they appear, the tooths out but still have the abscess ringing 111 as I'm typing for some antibiotics.back to the specialist view she says it could be an oral infection but has booked me on for biopsy can't sleep minds blown constantly reading stressed and anxiety are through the roof I've smoked heavily from school anyone any experience in this anything would be greatful
