Breast Cancer Update-More Bad News
I have been trying to figure out how to go about revealing what's going on with my cancer diagnosis....whether to tell what I know so far or after the results are back from the lumpectomy & node test. However today i got a call from my Drs & was given more news of my results & I feel the need to say something, vent really, cause everytime I get sonething back i freak out & this time I'm freaking out on Steem.. Preliminary tests showed that my cancer is invasive duct carcinoma. It is a grade 2-3. (Grade is not the same as stage. Grade refers to how aggressive the cancer is wheras stage refers to how far the cancer has progressed.) Invasive duct carcinoma is one of the most common breast cancers.
Upon finding that my cancer was invasive, further testing was conducted. Results came back that my cancer was neither estrogen or progesterone driven, but it did show that it was HER2 positive.
HER2 is a part of everyone's genes; both male & female. However in this case, with the positive result, it means my cancer is even moreso invasive then just the initial test results. It also means that i will be treated with both chemo & radiation. (Initially it was thought only radiation would be necessary). I will also be given certain medications that will suppress the HER2 component to reduce chances of the cancer returning.
At this point we still don't know what stage my cancer is. That won't be determined until after my lumpectomy & node testing which will take place Thursday-day after tmrw. The results of that will be back Tuesday of next week. Those results & what we already know, will determine my exact path of treatment.
Today has been a very hard day. I feel like everytime more results come back, it's just more bad news & am scared this trend will continue with the next set of results.
On top of all this, further research that I did today, suggests that when what I have does spread, it often goes to the brain-the liver-the pancreas...all very serious spots.
While friends & family say they are here for you, they still feel very far away when you receive such hard news. It makes me feel extremely isolated & alone & truly the only ppl who truly understand all this, are those who have been thru this battle themselves. It all just really sux.... 😕
