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What advice would you give? Mum newly diagnosed with breast cancer

Norburybear
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As the title says, my mum (76) was diagnosed with breast cancer today. I wasn’t with her so the information I have is all that her and my dad have passed on. Next time I will definitely need to go to the appointment as they can’t answer any of my questions! She has been told that she has ‘two types of cancer’ in her breast, one is oestrogen controlled. She has been told she needs an MRI scan to check the spread. What is the likely road ahead and will the two types of cancer affect the treatment? 

Thanks for reading. 

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    Hi, Sorry to hear about your mum. I am afraid that I can't really help that much as I am newly diagnosed with breast cancer myself. I do know how hard it can be when your parents are ill and you struggle to get the answers to the questions from them. When my dad had prostate cancer, I know that the MacMillan nurses were able to answer questions for me too, so the first thing I would do is try that.

    Stranfely I am finding it easier to deal with my own diagnosis than those of my parents who are a similar age to yours by the sound of it. 

    I hope that helps and don't forget to take care of yourself over the coming period of treatment for your mum. It is easy to forget your own needs in times like these, but if your parents are going to need your support, you will need to be in top form too. 

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    Hi, 

    I’m really sorry to hear about your mum, it must be a very difficult time for you. My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2023 and it has been a tough few months. The best advice I can give is to have lots of questions ready as you will have an opportunity to ask the doctors/care team who will be looking after your mum. From my personal experience, the first step will be an MRI which will help give more detailed information and the results will be shared with you. We had a consultation with the doctor after the MRI where we were given information about the type of cancer and what the next steps would be. We were then told that my mum would start chemotherapy which she has been undergoing weekly since January. Once you have the MRI results, you will have a clearer picture of the road ahead. 

    I hope this helps for now. Please look after yourself too and try to take each day at a time. Dealing with a parent who has cancer is mentally and physically challenging. I know it can be tough and it’s very easy to worry but just know that your mum will be in safe hands.

    I’m happy to answer any other questions you might have. 


    Thanks. 

  • Offline in reply to blue1996

    Thank you for your replies. It is a comfort to know that there is support out there.

  • Offline in reply to Norburybear

    Hi Norburybear, 

    A very warm welcome to our forum.

    I am sorry to hear about your Mum's diagnosis. It is not really possible to answer your questions, until your mum has had the MRI. There are a number of different types of breast cancer and different stages of them all. The outcome will depend upon the 2 types present. Some cancers are more aggressive than others and, as individuals, we all have our own reactions to them. This will often depend on our own general health and age as well as the cancer status.

    The MRI should give a clearer indication of the stage of cancer. I am not a doctor, but I expect that it should still be eminently treatable. Her medical team cannot give you any information until your mum gives her permission for them to talk to you, so the first thing to do is to make sure that your mum makes it clear that she is happy for this to happen. It would certainly be worth going with her to as many of her appointments as you can manage. It can be difficult to follow all of the medical terms and options at first and it is also a fact that the majority of people forget a large proportion of what is said, before they leave the hospital grounds.

    You will find it helpful to sit down with your parents to draw up a list of questions that any of you have, before her next appointment. It is useful to do this together, as you may all have different questions. I always bring a list of questions with me to ensure that I don't forget anything important.

    Please keep in touch and let us know how she gets on. We are always here for you and your family.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

  • Offline in reply to Jolamine

    Thank you. Her MRI scan is the 11th of April so we should know more once we get the results back from that. 

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