Younger women
My first reaction to this was shock and disbelief as there was no previous history in my family. I later learnt most breast cancers detected are not hereditary.
Nancy – aged 42
My name is Nancy. I am 42, married to a wonderful and supportive husband with two beautiful sons aged 10 and 12. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 12.
My treatment options were to have either a lumpectomy or mastectomy and axillary dissection, possibly followed by radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or hormonal treatment depending on the outcome. My greatest fear was having the axilla dissected and the possible side effects of lymphoedema. I was resolved to having surgery to the breast but felt I needed more information about lymph node removal. This may appear a minor issue compared to having a life threatening disease but I am right-handed and my right arm would be affected.
I found a surgical oncologist who performs sentinel node biopsy, a procedure that identifies and removes the first lymph node to which the breast cancer cells might spread. The surgeon provided lots of information to read about sentinel node biopsy. I decided to proceed with it. Unfortunately my sentinel node contained some cancer cells and the recommended treatment was axillary dissection. I still felt uncomfortable with this and found there was another option for me, to enter a clinical trial being conducted at Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute. This trial was part of an international study by the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group – a randomised trial of axillary node dissection in women with a certain clinical breast cancer who have a positive sentinel node. I was a possible candidate.
My husband and I discussed the options. One was to have an axillary dissection, the other to take the risk against medical advice and not remove any more lymph nodes, the third to enter the trial. If I entered the trial and was chosen not to have the axilla dissected I would have the advantage of being closely monitored. This would be the same if I had the axilla dissected. I had to feel comfortable with someone else (a computer!) making the choice for me.
After careful consideration I decided to participate. I signed up, my details were entered into the computer and within seconds the decision was made to have the axilla dissected. It was only then I knew I had made the right decision. I had my surgery and found I had no other lymph node involvement. Of the 20 removed there was only one lymph node involved.
I believe this justifies my participation in the study. Peter Mac is hoping to recruit 15 Australian participants for this trial. I was only the second. I hope that very soon the Australian Standard for every woman with early stage breast cancer is to undergo sentinel node biopsy.
I was diagnosed at age 33 and recommend routine follow ups.
Tanya – age 38
I was first diagnosed with breast cancer at aged 33. My Mother had had breast cancer at aged 36 followed by a secondary and three years of chemotherapy (still in its infancy), she is now 65 and still going strong. I was lucky and got by with a lumpectomy and radiotherapy. Coming up to my 5 year mark my routine check up picked up a new cancer in the same breast. It was minute and was only picked up by the Doctor comparing the previous years' films. This time resulted in a mastectomy. Once again I have been lucky enough to avoid chemotherapy but it sure is scary and moving on second time around. I guess the best part of it all is that with routine follow-ups anything that does recur is picked up with haste. I am now endeavouring to pick up the emotional pieces and plod along for my two children aged 7 and 9 and my husband of 17 years
I found my lump by accident in Jan 2001 and have since had chemo and radiotherapy
following partial mastectomy.
Vicki – aged 34
My journey hasn't been smooth, about to have my fifth visit to hospital this year. Two major infections, one collapse and a few other hiccups, but my message is to hang in and take care of your body. Take your temp regularly and take supplements to assist your immune system. I finished my treatment in August 2001 and I now Dragonboat race in a breast cancer team as well as all of the other things that I did before ( I have a pretty frenetic life!!) I had a great time with my 'grunge' look with no hair, fake body piercing jewellery completed the look!! I would like to see some sort of concerted media campaign aimed at young women, as there is no screening and generally young women aren't thinking about breast cancer because the media is aimed at women over 40 or 50. Tell your young friends to check themselves regularly and get their doctors to check, don't take no for an answer if you find a breast change!!
When I was 19 I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Samantha – aged 19
In a period of 6 months, I had the lump and 9 lymph nodes removed, chemo and radio. I lost all of my hair, I had to move to the city for treatment and there was so many times I thought I was not going to make it. Now nearly 5 years later, I am as healthy and as happy as I can be!! I had no family history of breast cancer I'm just very lucky that very early detection saved my life. Whatever age you are if there is something not right, don't hesitate to see a doctor! I hope my story doesn't upset you, I hope it gives some inspiration to all of you at sometime think of giving up!
I had an ovarian tissue section removal so I can still have children later
Diane, aged 38, was reluctant to have chemotherapy single and had never had any children.
I know my 'biological time' is running out, but I didn't want an option taken away from me. I meticulously researched the chemo, chose a second opinion and went with the second oncologist.
I met with a gynaecologist and chose to have a day procedure for an ovarian tissue section removal. Technologically, this process has not been successful to date, but it provided me with a great piece of mind, and I have since learned that it is looking very promising.
I was not able to have an egg collection as my tumours were eostrogen receptor positive and doctors will not pump you full of hormones in that instance. At my age, you also need to collect a lot of eggs and time was an issue. I am very happy that I made the decision to have this procedure done.
I found the love of my life after my diagnosis
Sharon – aged 30. Six years post diagnosis Sharon has had several recurrences, but is still winning the battle
For my thirtieth birthday I got perfume, flowers, clothing – oh yeah! and Breast cancer!
I was a single party girl, working full time and socialising most nights. I had never smoked and had been a vegetarian for 15 years. I rented a lovely two-bedroom unit, had great friends and a close relationship with my family. In short my life was great.
When I was diagnosed I was single and hoping that I would find that special someone who would love me unconditionally. It sounded so romantic, but I never stopped to wonder "how do you know if love is unconditional". Four years later I married the most wonderful man I could have ever hoped for. He proved he loved me "unconditionally" because he met me during my battle with cancer and he didn't run for cover; he stood beside me, held my hand (and my heart) and stayed to help me fight. He truly did marry me "for better or worse". Two years on and we are still blissfully happy, very much in love and still battling cancer – together.
I wear everything I used to with my prosthesis
Julie – aged 29
It's really not so bad having to wear a prosthesis. Sometimes I don't bother wearing one at all if I think I can get away without anyone noticing. I dress in size 8 and wear a size 10D bra. I'm young as are all my friends and we're very social people. There's always a party, dinner evening or barbecue arranged. I love the sun and swim a lot too. The point I'm trying to make is that I wear trendy bikinis, reasonably skimpy evening wear and very pretty bras and no one can ever tell that I'm wearing a prosthesis.
Every time I go to be fitted with a new prosthesis (they can go out of style too!) the people that help me always admire my scar, I know it sounds funny but the conversation usually goes something like this:
Assistant: Julie, here's the latest one on the market, isn't it gorgeous?
Julie: Oh what a great shape and it feels so real!! Let me try it on.
(I remove my top)
Assistant: Oh! What a fabulous scar, it's so thin and it's fading really well. Who's your surgeon?
You get the gist? A good prosthesis makes me feel very confident in myself and it shows. It looks perfectly normal under all my clothes and no one knows any different.
Once, as I was arriving at my place of work, I realized I had forgotten to put my prosthesis in. I didn't know what I was going to do and it was way to late to go all the way home to get it. So I sat at my desk over a coffee wondering what to do. As I look around my desk, I see a toy my fiancè had bought for me. It was a little green, plastic, ball with eyes and a tuft of fake fur on top as hair. You guessed it! I decided to put it into my bra for the day. Everything was fine until I got home, took it out, looked at it closely and realised that the ball, which was stuffed with flour (self-raising flour?) had cooked slightly from the heat of my body. This was quite funny and not your usual story to tell friends over drinks!!!
I missed the chance for IVF before chemotherapy because I didn't find out what might happen and what my options were until it was too late.
Caroline, aged 38, had surgery just before Christmas 1999 and had planned to start a family the following year. Bad timing and lack of information early on meant she missed out on IVF, which could been a viable option in her case.
The problem with most current treatment procedures is that you rarely get to meet the whole team of medical experts at the start when you need all the information. My surgeon had foreshadowed the probable need for chemotherapy, but until surgery had been done, nothing was set in concrete. Early in the New Year I met with my radiologist who headed the cancer care section where I was being treated. I explained my desire to start a family and my concern that the chemotherapy may make me menopausal. He recommended I make enquiries about IVF, which I did. Unfortunately, the Medical Oncologist was away on leave and not due back for several weeks, so I couldn't get advice on the chemotherapy treatment I was likely to get.
I spoke with a doctor from Sydney IVF who had had remarkable success with a lady of my age in very similar circumstances. It was lucky I that my cancer was not hormone receptor positive and it was thought the procedure using hormone injections to increase the egg harvest would probably not be too risky in my case.
However, in the confusion of first hearing about the cancer and then having to make decisions on what type of surgery I would have, I had continued taking the pill. All of a sudden I was faced with more decisions! I would have to go off the pill and start hormone injections immediately and come into the city daily for monitoring. More importantly, I hadn't realised that it wasn't viable at that stage to freeze eggs and that you had to freeze fertilised embryos. I wasn't really ready or in a fit state post surgery to contemplate a full "family in the freezer" and nor was my partner at that early stage.
Confused and tired I finally met with my Oncologist who confirmed I was to have the AC chemotherapy and that early onset menopause was a possibility. However when I told him about the IVF option, he noted that chemotherapy had to start within 6 weeks of surgery to ensure effectiveness and with only a week or so to go, IVF was no longer an option.
I never really considered an ovarian tissue section, as it wasn't viable at that time and I couldn't face more treatment/surgery unless there were good chances of a successful outcome. However, I understand this is now looking like a real possibility.
After experiencing quite extreme menopausal symptoms for 10 months, my periods returned. However, I am 40 now and have been told I will undoubtedly enter menopause early but I may still be lucky!
While the Christmas timing didn't help my case, it is still important to get as much information as you can as early as possible so that you have time to consider all options and make renowned decisions".
