Hi Ladybird,

Have you phoned your breast care nurse about your concerns? They are usually very helpful in cases like this.

I had the bad luck to find a lesion in my other breast just a few months after I had my first surgery - a lumpectomy followed by Tamoxifen. The new lump was bigger than the original one, it turned out to be benign.

Exactly a year after my lumpectomy, I found another lump in my original breast. This time I wasn't so lucky and I had a double mastectomy followed by Letrozole for 6 years. I stopped taking Letrozole in July 2017 and, it is now 10 years since I was first diagnosed.

It is a scary thought when you believe that the cancer is back, but this possibility is something that everyone with a cancer diagnosis has to learn to live with.

I found the bilateral mastectomy easier to recover from than the lumpectomy and it also healed more quickly. Many ladies just have lumpy breasts, but no cancer. I hope that this may be the case with you when you describe your lumps as tiny.

Please phone your nurse tomorrow and, discuss your findings. My nurse brought me in to see my surgeon the following morning. As you know, the sooner you catch cancer and start treating it, the better the outcome usually is, so stop wasting time worrying and start getting it investigated.

Please stay in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Jolamine,

I hope you don't mind me jumping on this post but you seem to be extremely knowledgeable. 
 

I have had a mastectomy on Saturday and I'm waiting for my meeting on Thursday to find out next steps. 
 

they mentioned tamoxifen would be the possible outcome going forward. 
 

if the cancer has all gone as they have taken the breast away. It hasn't spread to the lymph nodes why would tamoxifen be needed? I know you aren't a consultant and I will ask them but just want all my facts before I meet with her again. Would it be to stop it coming in the other breast? 

thanks 

liz x 

Jolamine,

I hope you don't mind me jumping on this post but you seem to be extremely knowledgeable. 
 

I have had a mastectomy on Saturday and I'm waiting for my meeting on Thursday to find out next steps. 
 

they mentioned tamoxifen would be the possible outcome going forward. 
 

if the cancer has all gone as they have taken the breast away. It hasn't spread to the lymph nodes why would tamoxifen be needed? I know you aren't a consultant and I will ask them but just want all my facts before I meet with her again. Would it be to stop it coming in the other breast? 

thanks 

liz x 

Hi Liz,

I am glad to hear that you had your mastectomy last week and, I hope that you are healing well.

At the moment, you should be cancer free having had your surgery, but it can occasionally return. I had a lumpectomy first time around 10 years ago. I followed this by Tamoxifen, but found another lump in the same breast a year later. At this stage I had a bilateral mastectomy and changed to Letrozole. I took this for 6 years and stpped taking it in July 2017.

Tamoxifen blocks the affect of Oestrogen on cancer cells, so reduces the growth of cancer. Sadly, it didn't work for me, but, so far the Letrozole seems to be doing the job.

Are you taking someone with you to your appointment on Thursday? It is always a good idea to do this, particularly when you are going for test results. Another useful thing to do is to write down a list of questions for your consultant, before each appointment. Make sure that you understand everything that you are told and, don't hesitate to ask for further clarification if needed.

I hope that you get good news on Thursday. Please let us know the outcome. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine,

thank you for coming back to me. My breast care nurse is not very good so I don't have anyone to ask questions I have. 
 

yes my husband is coming with me next Thursday. 
 

you might not know the answer, I assume the cancer can't come back in the left boob due to the mastectomy, so by giving me tamoxifen are they trying to stop it developing in the other breast? 
 

I asked for a double mastectomy and they said no, as the chances of having in the other breast in future are the same as someone without cancer history. Is that right? 
 

thanks again

Liz x x

Hi Liz,

It is unfortunate that your breast care nurse is not very helpful. Don't let this stop you from asking questions, as this is her job. She may become more helpful as she gets to know you better.

Cancer can always come back or spread despite having had surgery. Fear of recerrence is something that everyone who has had a cancer diagnosis, has to live with. The fact that your lymph nodes were not involved is good news, as cancer spreads via the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is like the circulatory system and this is how cancer spreads to other organs.

My mum had breast cancer. She had a mastectomy followed by Tamoxifen. Sadly, she developed secondary cancer after 12 years, when it spread to her brain, bones, liver and lungs. That was 21 years ago and treatment has improved dramatically since then. I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer. The first was 10 years ago, when I had a lumpectomy followed by Tamoxifen. I was told that I was cancer free but, I discovered a second lump in the same breast a year later and, had a double mastectomy followed by Letrozole for 6 years. I stopped taking this in July 2017.

Many surgeons are reluctant to carry out a double mastectomy and often insist that their patients consult  a psychologist before they do the procedure. My surgeon was quite happy to carry out my procedure without referring me to see anybody. I think that this was possibly because I developed a lump in my other breast only 3 months after my lumpectomy. Fortunately, although the lump was bigger than the ones in my original breast, it turned out to be benign.

Tamoxifen should reduce the chances of a recurrence or spread anywhere in the body. Although it didn't work for me, it does work for most people.

Many people have been told that the chances of having it in the other breast in future, are the same as someone without cancer history, so I expect that this is true. I am glad to hear that your husband will be accompanying you to your appointment on Thursday. I hope that this goes well and, that you have nice clear margins post-surgery.

Fingers crossed!

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Sorry for my slow reply. Have been so tired. 
 

thank you for the info. It's lovely to have someone to ask that knows their stuff. 
 

I will let you know how Thursday goes. I have a long list of questions. 
 

xx

Hi Liz,

Poor you. I know that feeling of total exhaustion. Just give in to your body and rest when you feel so tired.

I am glad to hear that you have a long list of questions. You may find it difficult to remember the answers and, you really need to understand your diagnosis and surgery/treatment options. Many people don't like to ask further questions if they don't understand all the medical jargon, but please don't do this. You really need to know every detail for your own peace of mind.

I am glad to hear that your husband will be accompanying you on Thursday. I always take my hubby too. I give him a copy of my questions and he writes down the answers as I ask the questions. Surgeons are quite used to this.

Will be thinking of you on Thursday.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx