My Cancer diagnosis story... I thought I was too young.... I wasn't worried....

The median age of diagnosis of breast cancer for women in the U.S. is 62.  Breast cancer is rare in younger women. Fewer than five percent of all breast cancers diagnosed in the U.S. occur in women under 40. I am one of those women. I thought I was too young. I thought that I couldn't possibly be part of that less than 5%. 

At just 39 years and 11 months old, I was diagnosed with Breast cancer on March 16th, 2017.   It was Just a month before my 40th birthday.  I found the lump in January, but I  wasn't worried. I was too young. I knew that 90% of breast lumps turn out to be nothing. I knew that lumps can be due to menstrual changes in the breast, and knew to wait at least one cycle to see if it got smaller, or went away.  My period came and went, and the lump was still there. It was still the same size. It felt pretty big, but I wasn't worried, I knew that 90% or lumps turn out to be nothing. I knew that it must be a cyst or some other benign growth. I began researching all the things it could be, I wasn't worried.  I was too young, but I also knew that sometimes breast cancer CAN and DOES strike those in their 40's and younger.  So, I called my Doctor and made an appointment. 

At my Doctor's office he felt the lump, but he wasn't worried. He repeated the reassuring stat that 90% of breast lumps turn out to be nothing, but just to be sure, he sent me for a mammogram. I still wasn't worried. 

March 10th arrived, and it was a cold late winter day.  I drove in the snow flurries to the imaging center. I got undressed for my first mammogram. This wasn't a routine screening mammogram. It was a diagnostic one, when they look closer at a known lump or problem. I wasn't worried. I read more reassuring stats in pamphlets. 

I got called back for my mammogram, and began the process of getting my boobs squeezed painfully between two plastic plates. It was tolerable, but highly uncomfortable. I thought, OK she will take a few images, and then I will know this is nothing. They will probably sent me for a biopsy because of the lump, they will find a cyst, drain it, and I'll be on my way.   I wasn't worried. 

She took a lot of images. She excused herself, and came back, taking more images. She excused herself again, and came back. She said they would like to do an ultrasound. 

I was a little worried.

They did the ultrasound as I laid on a table in a room that I was in seven years ago getting a pregnancy ultrasound with my Daughter in my belly. 

The woman doing the ultrasound excused herself, then came back in and brought me to the radiologist's office. 

When I walked in the room, he had one of my mammogram images and my ultrasound image in front of him on a big screen. When I saw the mass on the screen, I internally gasped and widened my eyes. It looked like images of cancer that I have seen on-line. I told myself not to worry, that is MUST be something else.  The radiologist got right to the point. He said that I have a 2 cm spiculated mass that is highly suspicious for malignancy. (BIRADS-5). He showed me the ultrasound image and said that this is not fluid filled,  and I need to get a biopsy. 

I was very worried. 

Five days later I was at the hospital getting a biopsy.  

The very next day my Doctor called, and told me I had breast cancer, and just like that I was one of those less that 5% diagnosed under 40. Yes, I do turn 40 this year, but even a diagnosis  in your 40's is considered young for breast cancer.  I know that just because it's rare, doesn't mean it can't happen. So for women at any age, please know your body, and go to the doctor if you find a lump, or anything weird about your breast or underarm area. Even if it's NOTHING, it's better than finding out when it's too late. 

My Doctors don't think it's too late for me.  My cancer is most likely a stage 2. This is still considered highly treatable and early stage.  My tumor is actually 2.9 cm, confirmed by  MRI. It is Estrogen Receptor, and Progesterone Receptor positive (ER+ and PR+ ) and HER2 Negative. (HER2-). I will be having chemotherapy first to shrink the tumor. This is called neoadjuvant (before surgery) chemo.  We are waiting on insurance approval, but my tentative chemo start date is  April 20th. I will have 4 rounds of Adriamycin & Cytoxan (AC) once every three weeks. Then, I will have 12 rounds of Taxol once a week.  After chemo, and if the tumor responded well,  I will have what everyone hopes is a lumpectomy, followed by radiation, then hormone therapy.  MRI and ultrasound has shown no lymph node enlargement, but we wont know for sure about any lymph node involvement until they are checked when I have surgery.  

SO that is the first post on this blog. I have another separate post to put up today with some pre blog journal entries, and an entry on my port placement surgery.