I had breast cancer coming up to a year ago I’m free now , but I really don’t think that just a mamo yearly is enough screening surely there should be other tests and screening available.
I hear you on this one. I had my first mammogram since diagnosis last January and they said it was fine. Despite some initial relief it’s hard to get rid of the gnawing anxiety about whether they may have missed something. I had a mastectomy and could feel all sorts of lumps and bumps but they categorically refused to scan again, not even an ultrasound so last Summer I paid for one myself. It was ok.
It’s all protocol led and the initial treatments are the most successful at knocking out the cancer. Trouble is if you’re low grade like me with no node spread, they do very little at all and after surgery send you on your way with hormone therapy. Whereas I have a friend you had triple negative which is known to be quite aggressive and they threw everything at it and now she’s still fine 7 years on. Apparently research has shown that with triple negative if you’re free after 5 years it’s very unlikely to ever come back.
Unfortunately with ER+/HER2- and low grade BC like mine there is a risk of recurrence up to 25 years later after studies were done in Denmark. It’s absolutely critical that with this type of cancer excess weight is kept off and weight bearing exercise can reduce metastatic risk by 50%. I’ve found that out myself and am trying to keep to it and lose the weight. Pity no-one told me about it when they signed me off last a summer, knowing that I was 2 stone overweight. They didn’t say a thing about it. In Australia, part of the treatment for early breast cancer is to get in the gym 3 times a week. We aren’t told this.
I know we’d all like to have a yearly full body scan but that’s a lot of radiation and I’ve read that scans don’t pick up tumors less than 1cm anyway so there are definitely pros and cons to scans too. I suppose all we can do is remain vigilant and live the best life we can.
I hear you on this one. I had my first mammogram since diagnosis last January and they said it was fine. Despite some initial relief it’s hard to get rid of the gnawing anxiety about whether they may have missed something. I had a mastectomy and could feel all sorts of lumps and bumps but they categorically refused to scan again, not even an ultrasound so last Summer I paid for one myself. It was ok.
It’s all protocol led and the initial treatments are the most successful at knocking out the cancer. Trouble is if you’re low grade like me with no node spread, they do very little at all and after surgery send you on your way with hormone therapy. Whereas I have a friend you had triple negative which is known to be quite aggressive and they threw everything at it and now she’s still fine 7 years on. Apparently research has shown that with triple negative if you’re free after 5 years it’s very unlikely to ever come back.
Unfortunately with ER+/HER2- and low grade BC like mine there is a risk of recurrence up to 25 years later after studies were done in Denmark. It’s absolutely critical that with this type of cancer excess weight is kept off and weight bearing exercise can reduce metastatic risk by 50%. I’ve found that out myself and am trying to keep to it and lose the weight. Pity no-one told me about it when they signed me off last a summer, knowing that I was 2 stone overweight. They didn’t say a thing about it. In Australia, part of the treatment for early breast cancer is to get in the gym 3 times a week. We aren’t told this.
I know we’d all like to have a yearly full body scan but that’s a lot of radiation and I’ve read that scans don’t pick up tumors less than 1cm anyway so there are definitely pros and cons to scans too. I suppose all we can do is remain vigilant and live the best life we can.
thanks for your reply and lots of info , my diagnosis was mirror image of yours but I had a lunpectomy. thsbks for sharing regarding your friend with the triple negative as my best friend had this sane time as me and it’s good to no 7 years on she’s free .
I’ve started gym classes myself to try and keep fit I’m going 3 times a week my diet isn’t amazing but is better than pre diagnosis.
Im
do happy your first mamo was ckear likg msybit continue xxx
