December 03, 2008

Ultrasound and biopsy

Tomorrow I will have the ultrasound and biopsy for the suspicious spot on my left breast. Dr. Mary Kelly did my first biopsy more than nine years ago in 1999. I like her and was glad she was available. She works at the Swedish Medical Center's Comprehensive Breast Center at the Cherry Hill campus, where I received treatment for that first round of breast cancer. I'm comfortable there, know and like the staff. It's where I continue to get my mammograms.

How am I coping? I am scared that this might be a new primary cancer. Of course, if it is, and if it's breast cancer, I've already been through that treatment -- surgery, chemo, maybe radiation (but I'm not sure they can re-radiate the same breast). And if it's not breast cancer, according to my cousin the oncologist, it might be nothing. A friend told me there is only a 3% chance of developing a new cancer in the same breast. The American Cancer Society says,
A woman with cancer in one breast has a 3- to 4-fold increased risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast. This is different from a recurrence (return) of the first cancer.

More news when we get the results, which might take a week.

1 comment:

  1. lifting you up for the right intuition in responding to this new health concern

    ReplyDelete

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