Cancer chooses the adventure

I can’t believe it has only been three weeks since my diagnosis. I have learned more about breast cancer than I ever imagined. The biggest thing I have learned is how individualized treatment plans are. So if you are reading this and have breast cancer, use this as a place for information, but don’t base your decision off of what I’m doing. Listen to your own body, and do what your body needs to get your cancer out of your body. This is my body, my cancer, my story.

I’m so grateful for my sister’s persistence, she was able to get the ball rolling for me! I was able to see my first oncologist two days after my diagnosis! Since then I have seen or done:

-Texas Breast Specialist with Texas Oncology (Breast cancer surgeon) - Dr. Sprunt

-Medical Oncologist with Texas Oncology (the brain of the operation, focus is on how the cancer operates in your body, also handles all things medicine, and if I were need to do Chemo, she would be my doctor for that) - Dr. Hellerstadt

-MRI Scan with contrast

-Genetics Testing for cancer genes

-General Physician (I didn’t have one before…oops)

-Plastic Surgeon - Dr. Potter

The way cancer works, you start with the information you have, and after each appointment or tests taken, you are given new information that alters the path. So after a series of appointments, tests, and imaging, here is my decision and the why.

First off, my diagnosis is DCIS, grade 3, estrogen and progesterone positive.

I have decided to go with a bilateral mastectomy (that means, the removal of both breast tissues) with a DIEP Flap Reconstruction.

At my original appointment I was given the option of a Lumpectomy, Lumpectomy with Reduction, or a Mastectomy. From the get-go, it was always going to be bilateral. I’m positive on the right side, but there is also a big mass on my left side that should be removed as well. Since then, through my MRI scan, there is something else on my left side that looks suspicious. If I was not going to get a mastectomy, then I would have to go in for another biopsy, this time an MRI biopsy to sample this new mass that was found. No thank you, let’s just remove it! So one less procedure to go through if I stick with my decision of a mastectomy.

I do not carry a gene for breast cancer - if I did, then a mastectomy would be non-negotiable.

Why I am not choosing a Lumpectomy (after multiple appointments and imaging):

-The size of my cancer is big- 8.4 cm long - typically Lumpectomy is for cancer smaller than 5cm. It was also found on my first mammogram - which is a big factor in the oncology world with the size in which it was found. They have no baseline to know what happened from year to year.

-My age - I’m considered young and resilient for cancer (versus geriatric and fragile for pregnancy). I have a long life to live, if I do lumpectomy, I’ll be constantly going in for re-imaging to make sure the cancer does not return. Statistics shared with me is likelihood of return at 5 and 10 years, no data was shared with me after 20 years. From lived experiences I heard, most people’s cancer did come back after 20 years. I don’t want to deal with this again when I’m 60!

-Tamoxifen - since my cancer is estrogen and progesterone positive, I’ll have to take a hormone pill, Tamoxifen for 5-10 years. There’s two strikes against me with taking hormone pills. One, I have Factor 5 Leiden mutation which means I’m a risk of blood clotting in my legs. Hormone pills, increase your risk for blood clots with Factor 5. I’ve never been able to take estrogen birth control due to this and I had to take extra precaution during pregnancy for this. So we talked a lot with Dr. Hellerstadt on the risks/benefits of taking the hormone pill at my age with my type of cancer. In conclusion, we decided it wasn’t worth the risk. Second, my body is extremely sensitive. I personally don’t want to mess with my hormones, while going through an already stressful situation.

-My MRI results - my results keep finding more suspicious stuff. So why risk it, let’s just chop them off!

-And if I did a lumpectomy, I would also have to do about 5 weeks of daily radiation.

So that is why I’m choosing a bilateral mastectomy. There’s too many risks or unknowns with a lumpectomy for me. I don’t want to live each year of my life wondering if my cancer will grow back - my anxiety already has enough things to worry about it, I don’t want to add to it!

Another post will explain the reconstruction process!

And we are still waiting on a surgery date.