Yes, the spot on my left breast is breast cancer. Again.
I saw Dr. Patricia Dawson, my breast surgeon, today to discuss my options. The preliminary biopsy results don't indicate the ER/PR or Her2/neu status, but it's definitely cancer. Those results should be available when I see my oncologist next Wednesday.
Dr. Dawson gave me three options:
1) standard treatment for a recurrence is a total mastectomy; OR
2) a lumpectomy; OR
3) treat systemically (i.e. with medication) to see if the tumor responds by shrinking.
We will let Dr. Sheldon Goldberg, the best oncologist in Seattle, weigh in, and hope that he agrees that option 3 is the way to go. Given the fact that my cancer had already spread (metastasized), Dr. Dawson thinks there is no reason to schedule surgery when a systemic treatment might do the trick. Plus systemic treatment (chemotherapy, anti-estrogen medication) would also have an impact on my metastases. Surgery would not.
I see Dr. Goldberg on Wednesday and will have more information to report then. In the meantime, this is a good outcome -- I don't have to have surgery immediately.
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Dear Jill -- You were very kind to me when I was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer. I read of your latest on the breast cancer blog. Thinking of you. Sharon M (from Magnolia in Seattle).
ReplyDeleteOh, Jill... that's just a punch in the gut. Thanks for posting. I hope you're doing ok!
ReplyDeleteSweetie, I am speechless. I understand the worry. I will be praying for peace and a clear route to complete recovery.
ReplyDeletelifting y'all up a prayer for peace, wisdom and continual shalom of relationship!
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