2/6/13

I saw the Breast Surgeon today. Doc found two types of BC, which is the type that is in my milk ducts and has not moved out (DCIS), and I also have the IDC (Invasive Ductal) which means it has moved out of the ducts in to the tissue. When you have BC, they check your hormone receptor status, which means they try to see if estrogen, progesterone or a protein called HER2neu is "feeding" your C. Each type of those is treated differently. I am negative for the E and P but am positive for the HER2. So this protein normally is fine, we all have it, but mine is rapidly reproducing and causing my cancer. It also makes my prognosis and chances for re-occurrence greater. Only 15% of BCs are HER2+. It has started to spread and was also positive for spreading through the lymph nodes. My stage is still 2, so I am right in the middle of "okay BC" and "oh shit BC". Good thing about being HER2+ is that there is a specific chemo that targets the protein, but the chemo rounds will be longer and I will need more of them than most.

I have an MRI today which is standard, but have been battling back pain since around the time I found the mass and go for a bone scan and a CT scan tomorrow. I also have to see a genetic counselor today, given my age and hormone status. This will tell me if the BC is genetic or not.

I go on Valentine's Day to see the oncologist and that is the appointment that we will have a solid plan that we'll start soon after. Doc today says that it is most likely given all my factors that I will start Chemo first to stop it from growing and reduce its size.