Week 15

"Often breast cancer has no symptoms, but there are certain clues that can serve as a warning for breast cancer. When examining your breasts every month, pay attention to their appearance and consult your doctor about any changes you see, such as the following:

Nipple discharge. It's not unusual for nipples to leak fluid; after all, they're built to discharge milk. If the nipples are stimulated — during sex, by persistent squeezing, or during a mammogram — the breasts may react and produce whatever fluid they contain. Birth control pills, blood pressure drugs such asAldomet, tranquilizers such as Thorazine, or marijuana can cause normal, nipple discharge, usually in both breasts and from multiple ducts. This finding is usually not associated with cancer.

Another type of nipple discharge is galactorrhea, a spontaneous, persistent production of milk from both breasts when the woman isn't breast-feeding. In certain circumstances, your physician may want to evaluate various hormone or endocrine levels in the blood, imbalances of which can occasionally be associated with breast discharge. Rarely these imbalances may be associated with tiny growths in the pituitary gland, a small gland in the central portion of the brain.

The kind of discharge that may indicate breast disease usually occurs only from one duct of one nipple and is spontaneous (not caused by nipple stimulation). The cause most often is one or several papillomas (nonmalignant, pimple-like growths in the lining of a breast duct) or duct ectasia (an inflammation of the lining of the milk gland). Less commonly, the discharge is the sign of a cancer, either ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or an invasive cancer. Surgery usually is required to make a diagnosis. The surgeon identifies the involved duct and removes it through an incision in the skin. In the laboratory, a pathologist examines the tissue for cancer cells.

Inverted nipples. Inverted nipples are not uncommon, and some women live with one or both nipples inverted for most of their lives. However, if the nipple inversion is a recent occurrence, it may be a sign of cancer. Arrange to be seen promptly by your doctor. Your doctor will examine you and likely refer you for a mammogram.

Paget's disease of the breast. This form of cancer may first appear as an itchy sore on the nipple and can progress to crustiness and oozing that fails to improve. It is a rare cancer, accounting for less than 3% of all new diagnoses of female breast cancer. Although it resembles eczema, eczema almost always affects only the areola, the dark area around the nipple.

Paget's disease looks different: It affects the nipple and not the areola. Your doctor will examine both breasts, order a mammogram and arrange for a biopsy of the nipple skin. If it's cancer, the cancer cells can be seen under a microscope, growing into the skin.

In most patients with Paget's, there's an underlying breast cancer below the level of the skin.

If the cancer does appear to only involve the nipple, Paget's disease has a better prognosis than other breast cancers. Historically, many breast surgeons preferred to remove the entire breast to treat this cancer, even when only the nipple area was affected. Today, however, just the nipple and the areola are removed, along with the underlying cancer. The unaffected portion of the breast is spared."

http://www.aolhealth.com/breast-cancer/learn-about-it/warning-signs-of-breast-cancer

Week 14

"Beginning in their 20s, women should be told about the benefits and limitations of breast self-exam (BSE). Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any new breast changes to a health professional as soon as they are found. Finding a breast change does not necessarily mean there is a cancer.A woman can notice changes by being aware of how her breasts normally look and feel and by feeling her breasts for changes (breast awareness), or by choosing to use a step-by-step approach (see below) and using a specific schedule to examine her breasts.If you choose to do BSE, the information below is a step-by-step approach for the exam. The best time for a woman to examine her breasts is when the breasts are not tender or swollen. Women who examine their breasts should have their technique reviewed during their periodic health exams by their health care professional.Women with breast implants can do BSE, too. It may be helpful to have the surgeon help identify the edges of the implant so that you know what you are feeling. There is some thought that the implants push out the breast tissue and may actually make it easier to examine. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding can also choose to examine their breasts regularly.It is acceptable for women to choose not to do BSE or to do BSE once in a while. Women who choose not to do BSE should still be aware of the normal look and feel of their breasts and report any changes to their doctor right away.

How to examine your breasts

• Lie down and place your right arm behind your head. The exam is done while lying down, not standing up. This is because when lying down the breast tissue spreads evenly over the chest wall and is as thin as possible, making it much easier to feel all the breast tissue.

• Use the finger pads of the 3 middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast. Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions of the finger pads to feel the breast tissue.
  • Use 3 different levels of pressure to feel all the breast tissue. Light pressure is needed to feel the tissue closest to the skin; medium pressure to feel a little deeper; and firm pressure to feel the tissue closest to the chest and ribs. It is normal to feel a firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast, but you should tell your doctor if you feel anything else out of the ordinary. If you're not sure how hard to press, talk with your doctor or nurse. Use each pressure level to feel the breast tissue before moving on to the next spot.
  • Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone (sternum or breastbone). Be sure to check the entire breast area going down until you feel only ribs and up to the neck or collar bone (clavicle).
  • • There is some evidence to suggest that the up-and-down pattern (sometimes called the vertical pattern) is the most effective pattern for covering the entire breast, without missing any breast tissue.
    • Repeat the exam on your left breast, putting your left arm behind your head and using the finger pads of your right hand to do the exam.
    • While standing in front of a mirror with your hands pressing firmly down on your hips, look at your breasts for any changes of size, shape, contour, or dimpling, or redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin. (The pressing down on the hips position contracts the chest wall muscles and enhances any breast changes.)
    • Examine each underarm while sitting up or standing and with your arm only slightly raised so you can easily feel in this area. Raising your arm straight up tightens the tissue in this area and makes it harder to examine.

    This procedure for doing breast self exam is different from previous recommendations. These changes represent an extensive review of the medical literature and input from an expert advisory group. There is evidence that this position (lying down), the area felt, pattern of coverage of the breast, and use of different amounts of pressure increase a woman's ability to find abnormal areas."

    http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_How_to_perform_a_breast_self_exam_5.asp

Week 13

"Chemotherapy is a systemic breast cancer therapy. The anticancer drugs enter the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the entire body, not just the breast. Chemotherapy is typically used to treat patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Neo-adjuvant (or primary systemic) breast cancer chemotherapy may be used before surgery to reduce the size of large breast tumors and to destroy cancer cells. This type of chemotherapy often makes breast-conserving surgery possible. It also helps our cancer doctors determine the effectiveness of a particular regimen on the breast tumor. Adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy may be used after surgery or radiation therapy to eliminate any remaining cancer cells that may not have been removed during breast cancer surgery and/or radiation therapy. It may also prevent the disease from spreading to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy treatment uses medicine to weaken and destroy cancer cells in the body, including cells at the original cancer site and any cancer cells that may have spread to another part of the body. Chemotherapy, often shortened to just "chemo," is a systemic therapy, which means it affects the whole body by going through the bloodstream. For breast cancer, chemotherapy drugs are given intravenously (directly into a vein) or orally (by mouth). Once the drugs enter the bloodstream, they travel to all parts of the body in order to reach cancer cells that may have spread beyond the breast -- therefore chemotherapy is considered a "systemic" form of breast cancer treatment.Chemotherapy is given in cycles of treatment followed by a recovery period. The entire chemotherapy treatment generally lasts several months to one year, depending on the type of drugs given. When breast cancer is limited to the breast or lymph nodes, chemotherapy may be given after a lumpectomy or mastectomy. This is known as adjuvant treatment and may help reduce the chance of breast cancer recurrence.Chemotherapy may also be given as the main treatment for women whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body outside of the breast and lymph nodes. This spread is known as metastatic breast cancer and occurs in a small number of women at the time of diagnosis, or when the cancer recurs some time after initial treatment for localized (non-metastatic) breast cancer."

http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/chemotherapy-treatment

Week 12

"Radiation therapy may have both localized side effects in the treated area and more general side effects that affect your overall feeling of well-being. The majority are temporary and can often be relieved with medication and natural therapies your doctors and other caregivers recommend for you. Internal radiation, such as MammoSite radiation therapy, generally has fewer side effects than external radiation therapy. Fatigue. This is one of the most common symptoms of radiation treatment, especially in the later weeks of treatment and for sometime afterward. Resting is important, but many doctors also advise people undergoing treatment to remain reasonably active, matching their activities to their energy level. Skin irritation. People receiving external radiation may develop red, dry, tender, or itchy skin in the treated area. As treatment progresses, the skin may become moist and weepy. Most changes to the skin are temporary and will gradually heal once treatment is over. However, you may experience permanent changes to skin color where you received radiation, or more or less sensitivity of the breast skin than you did previously. Your doctor may prescribe special creams and topical medications to apply to the treated area. Here are steps you can take to prevent infection and help your skin heal: Expose the skin to the air as much as possible, Ask your doctor before using any deodorants, lotions, or creams he or she didn’t prescribe on the affected area, Wear loose-fitting, non-binding cotton clothes next to irritated skin. Changes to the breast. A few people may find that the treated breast is firmer after therapy. Others may find that it’s bigger, because of fluid buildup, while some may notice that it’s smaller, because of tissue changes caused by the radiation.

Make sure to discuss any of the following side effects of chemotherapy with your healthcare providers. There are a variety of medicines and natural therapies available that may be able to dramatically lessen their severity. Most of the following symptoms gradually go away during the recovery period of the treatment cycle or after treatment is over: Fatigue, Bruising or bleeding easily, Hair loss, Nausea and vomiting, Diarrhea, Mouth sores."

http://www.cancercompass.com/learn/cancer-information/breast-cancer/side-effects/chemotherapy

Week 11

"Radiation therapy uses a special kind of high-energy beam to damage cancer cells. (Other types of energy beams include light and x-rays.) These high-energy beams, which are invisible to the human eye, damage a cell’s DNA, the material that cells use to divide. Over time, the radiation damages cells that are in the path of its beam — normal cells as well as cancer cells. But radiation affects cancer cells more than normal cells. Cancer cells are very busy growing and multiplying — 2 activities that can be slowed or stopped by radiation damage. And because cancer cells are less organized than healthy cells, it's harder for them to repair the damage done by radiation. So cancer cells are more easily destroyed by radiation, while healthy, normal cells are better able to repair themselves and survive the treatment.

Radiation is an important and often necessary form of anti-cancer therapy because it is able to reduce the risk of recurrence after surgery. Although it's quite possible that your surgeon removed all the cancer, breast cancer surgery cannot guarantee that every last cancer cell has been removed from your body. Individual cancer cells are too small to be felt or seen during surgery or detected by testing. Any cells that remain after surgery can grow and eventually form a new lump or show up as an abnormality on a test such as a mammogram. Research has shown that people who are treated with radiation after lumpectomy are more likely to live longer, and remain cancer-free longer, than those who don't get radiation. In one large study, women who didn't get radiation after lumpectomy were shown to have a 60% greater risk of the cancer coming back in the same breast. Other research has shown that even women with very small cancers (1 centimeter or smaller) benefit from radiation after lumpectomy.

There are two main types of radiation:

External Radiation

External radiation is the most common type of radiation, typically given after lumpectomy and sometimes, mastectomy. In this section, you can read about how external radiation is given.

Internal Radiation

Internal radiation is a less common method of giving radiation. It is being studied for use after lumpectomy. In this section, you can read about how radiation is delivered inside the breast."

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/radiation/types/

Week 10

There are two ways to check for breast cancer and those include: self-checking and getting a mammogram. Even if you find a lump while self-checking you still need to get a mammogram, because that's the final determinant. Women who are 40 years old and older should get a mammogram done every year. If breast cancer is in the family history then some women should start getting mammograms before the age of 40. "A mammogram is a safe, low-dose x-ray exam of the breasts to look for changes that are not normal. The results are recorded on x-ray film or directly into a computer for a doctor called a radiologist to examine. A mammogram allows the doctor to have a closer look for changes in breast tissue that cannot be felt during a breast exam."A mammogram is done when: "You stand in front of a special x-ray machine. The person who takes the x-rays, called a radiologic technician, places your breasts, one at a time, between an x-ray plate and a plastic plate. These plates are attached to the mammogram machine and compress the breasts to flatten them. This spreads the breast tissue out to obtain a clearer picture. You will feel pressure on your breast for a few seconds. It may cause you some discomfort; you might feel squeezed or pinched. This feeling only lasts for a few seconds, and the flatter your breast, the better the picture. Most often, two pictures are taken of each breast — one from the side and one from above. A screening mammogram takes about 20 minutes from start to finish." There are different kinds of mammograms and those are: Screening mammograms are done for women who have no symptoms of breast cancer. It usually involves two x-rays of each breast. Screening mammograms can detect lumps or tumors that cannot be felt. They can also find microcalcifications (my-kro-kal-si-fi-KAY-shuns) or tiny deposits of calcium in the breast, which sometimes mean that breast cancer is present. Diagnostic mammograms are used to check for breast cancer after a lump or other symptom or sign of breast cancer has been found. Signs of breast cancer may include pain, thickened skin on the breast, nipple discharge, or a change in breast size or shape. This type of mammogram also can be used to find out more about breast changes found on a screening mammogram, or to view breast tissue that is hard to see on a screening mammogram. A diagnostic mammogram takes longer than a screening mammogram because it involves more x-rays in order to obtain views of the breast from several angles. The technician can magnify a problem area to make a more detailed picture, which helps the doctor make a correct diagnosis.A digital mammogram also uses x-ray radiation to produce an image of the breast, but instead of storing the image directly on film, it stores the image of the breast directly on a computer. This allows the recorded data to be magnified for the doctor to take a closer look. Current research has not shown that digital images are better at showing cancer than x-ray film images in general. But, women with dense breasts who are pre- or perimenopausal, or who are younger than age 50, may benefit from having a digital rather than a film mammogram."

http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/mammograms.cfm#a

Week 9

The Susan G. Komen organization hosts a lot of races called race for the cure. They are all over the United States and are held at many different times of the year. It's a 5k and the participants can choose to run or walk with no time limit. Each participant has to pay twenty dollars in order to be in the race and 25% of the income from the race goes to research for breast cancer, grant programs, educational and scientific conferences, and awards. The other 75% of the money earned from the race goes to the local community to help fund for breast cancer. These races are really inspirational and a time for everyone to get together as one, whether you have experienced breast cancer, know somebody with breast cancer, or simply want to help out with the cause. The people who participate get all dressed up in pink gear, display the pink breast cancer ribbon, and even make signs. On April 17th of this year I will be one of the participants of the race for the cure, along with my mom and dad. There are a couple to choose from around our region that are coming up, but we decided to go to the race in Indianapolis. I'm really excited for the race and can't wait to meet all the people and hear their stories. It's going to be an amazing experience. I know this race is really important to my mom, because she has been wanting to do something like this ever since she got rid of her breast cancer and now she finally can. She really enjoys supporting the women going through breast cancer since she knows what it's like and can put herself in their situation. I'm really glad that I am able to share this experience with my parents, especially my mom.

Week 8

There are a lot of things that can be done in order to live a healthy lifestyle and some of them can help prevent breast cancer. Taking these measures will not guarantee that you will not get breast cancer but it could possibly help to prevent it. Diet and exercise is a really important aspect in living a healthy lifestyle. Not only can it help prevent breast cancer, but it can also prevent a lot of other things. Keeping a steady weight and not being obese can be crucial for women. Excess weight may lead to higher levels of the hormone estrogen which has been linked to breast cancer.

"Research suggests that greater total fat consumption (about 40 percent or more of daily calories) poses a greater risk for breast cancer than lower total fat consumption (about 20 percent of daily calories). With that in mind, try to limit total fat intake to less than 30 percent of daily calories in order to help in the prevention of breast cancer.

Saturated fats found in marbled meat and high-fat dairy products are more likely to increase risk of breast cancer than unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds and avocados, as well as olive and canola oils. Try to limit saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of total daily calories (if you’re following a 2,000-calorie diet, that’s no more than 15 grams). Produce provides numerous phytonutrients and antioxidants — substances which help prevent cellular damage throughout the body. One well-designed study found that regular consumption of five or more servings of veggies a day was associated with lower risk of breast cancer; however, according to a recent study published in JAMA, consuming more than five servings doesn’t seem to have any preventative effect. So when it comes to breast cancer prevention, I say aim for at least five daily servings of colorful produce. Phytoestrogens are a group of plant-derived compounds that are structurally and functionally similar to the hormone estrogen, which is found naturally in our bodies. There are several different groups of phytoestrogens; the most widely studied are the isoflavones, present in highconcentrations in soy products such as soybeans, tofu, tempeh and soy milk. When it comes to breast cancer, there has beensome evidence that soy can play a protective role; however, its effects may depend on when in life it’s consumed. For example, Japanese women eat soy throughout life, whereas most American women may have only started eating soy as adults. It’s been proposed that isoflavones act as anti-estrogens in premenopausal women who have high circulating hormone levels. But after menopause, when estrogen levels are low, they may act like estrogens and any estrogen boost, even if weak, may at least theoretically be harmful in such women. The optimal amount of dietary soy is unknown — and different forms of soy may have different effects. For example, highly processed soyfoods(meat analogues and energy bars) may have less biological activity than whole soybeans or soy milk. What’s the bottom line? A moderate amount of soy consumption can be part of ahealthy diet(1-2 servings daily), particularly in premenopausal women. A serving = ½ cup tofu, tempeh, edamame (out of the pod), ¼ cup soy nuts or 1 cup soy yogurt or soymilk. **However, if you have or have had breast cancer, or you’re at high risk, it’s important you speak with your personal physician and follow their expert advice when it comes to soy consumption. This remains a controversial topic and you may be instructed to completely avoid. Important:Always avoid soy supplements — they may contain higher levels of isoflavones than present in soy foods without the other potentially healthy components. Long-term effects are not yet known."

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21564819/ns/today-today_health/

Week 7

Going through breast cancer is a very difficult thing to overcome. It usually happens without any warning and takes the people diagnosed with it by surprise. Throughout the whole process of being diagnose, treated, and recovering there are many life lessons learned.

"Breast cancer treatment is an experience that causes many of us to slow down and think about life. It's a hard teacher, but it may give you a life lesson - or two - that sticks with you for a long time. The bonds of support between survivors are cemented with common experiences, shared struggles, celebrated victories, and words of advice. What was the more important thing that you learned during your journey with breast cancer? What life lesson would you share with others in the fight?"

Each of the following are life lessons breast cancer survivors have learned.

"I was never alone. Immediately before I received the result of the mammogram, God let me know in my spirit, "It is not the end, but the start of a new beginning." So I received the news from the doctor without being stunned. I will say that I looked at the world through different eyes, not getting stressed over little things, like waiting in check-out lines. I felt a calmness. I believed everything was going to be alright. I had the biopsy, lumpectomy and radiation in 2008. Everything looks good. Jesus was my comfort and friend through what could have been a very dark place, but He made it light. There was a lady that made pillows for the UNC Rex Cancer Center and I received one after surgery. What a blessing! Now my friends and I make and donate pillows for breast cancer patients and children in the hospital. It may seem so minor to do a little kindness for someone else that you don't do it. But that kindness can mean the world to the one who needs it. Love one another. That = happiness."

"Acceptance. A good friend of mine recently said "People plan and G-d laughs". Bottom line is that we cannot plan out our entire lives. Belive it or not, some events are out of our control! I obviously did not plan to have breast cancer, but when I was diagnosed I completely accepted the life challenge. Turns out, it wasn't much of a challenge at all. After losing my Mom to the disease and watching my sister go through it with me (she also later died from the disease), I knew what to expect and I accepted what turned out to be a beautiful journey for me. By accepting the diagnosis and all that followed, I moved forward in a positive way...met some incredible doctors, nurses, and other patients and now manage a support group to provide other cancer survivors a safe and fun place to exchange information and experiences. I think I turned an otherwise grim experience into a positive one by learning the art of acceptance. My wish is that other women may do the same. Peace."

"Life Lesson. I felt the fog lift after being diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I began to see things more clearer and I welcomed everything with open arms. I also strengthed my relationships with my husband, children, parents and friends. You look at yourself differently, and I looked at myself more positively. Whether it was surgery, dr. appts, grocery shopping,chemo...whatever it was, the news was never bad for me, rather a way to make it positive. I also strongly wanted to share my story and support anyone who needed support. I wanted to arm myself with knowledge and I did. Knowledge is power, but so is being positive. Having strong faith is the best defense. I also learned to never take anyone or anything for granted and I always tell people everyday how much they mean to me and how much I love them. The journey is your own...all you have to do is write it out!"

"God was there. Before I knew who He was, God was there. When I had given up on life, God was there. When the docs wanted to give me the most aggressive chemo available & I refused any chemo at all, God was there. When I did not want to be rescued, God was there. The most important life lesson I have learned from having breast cancer is that God was there & He is here & He will never leave me."

"Life Lessons after Cancer. I have learned that you don't take life for granted, and I am on my 5th year Cancer free, it has also made me stronger as a person. Having Cancer is not a death sentence, just think positive, get good support and educate yourself."

"Life Lessons after Cancer. I have learned that you don't take life for granted, and I am on my 5th year Cancer free, it has also made me stronger as a person. Having Cancer is not a death sentence, just think positive, get good support and educate yourself."

http://breastcancer.about.com/u/ua/truesurvivors/life-lessons-ua.htm

Week 6

The survivors of breast cancer live to tell very inspirational stories and are extremely lucky to be able to tell those stories. Here are several stories from survivors of breast cancer:

Nancy's breast cancer survivor story - I am a 2 1/2 year breast cancer survivor. Luckily, my cancer was caught by mammogram in the very early stages. It was a stage 1 cancer. I had a lumpectomy and all the lymph nodes removed under the arm on that side. The nodes were all clear. I was able to get by without chemo, but I had 35 radiation treatments. God truly blessed me.

Leitha's breast cancer survivor story - My name is Leitha and I was 36 when I found a knot in my breast...She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said - honey, it doesn't look good...Me, myself and I had a pity party that night, the first of many...Surgery to remove the cancer cancerous lymph nodes, a second surgery because they didn't get it all (dirty margins), 12 weekly doses of taxol, 3 months of FAC and 6 weeks of radiation...One thing I learned is, cancer had to be harder on those who love me than it was on me...I have a family who cares about, the most wonderful son, a man (Bill) who loves and adores me, and a God who has me in his healing hands.

Alyson's breast cancer survivor story - I am 41 years old and still fighting for my life...had a chemo port surgically implanted into my chest...I was told Inflammatory Breast Cancer is the deadliest, most aggressive...I had chemo Adriamycin Cytoxin and Taxol...modified radical left mastectomy...38 rounds of radiation treatments...I am Estrogen Negative and HER2+...I am taking weekly infusions (in my chemo port) of Herceptin...my pathology report was fantastic and my genetic testing showed no genetic mutation...Life is a true gift - cherish it!!!

Dana - Granddaughter of breast cancer survivor - I asked if she had ever had a Mammogram, her reply was, NO, nothing hurts so why bother...two weeks after her test, she had a double mastectomy...She is 76 years old now and is doing great...It's amazing that so many women out there are worried about the discomfort of the test and therefore don't get the test done...I thank God that I was put in a position to do Mammography, otherwise my Grandma would not be here now. I feel someone was looking out for us when given that opportunity.

Michelle's breast cancer survivor story - While in the shower I felt something odd in my right breast. It felt like a lump, but I didn't think it was possible as three months earlier I had had a mammogram...I scheduled another mammogram and ultrasound for the next day...My radiologist was very reassuring. It didn't appear to be a tumor, but a cyst. He felt I should see a surgeon to drain the cyst...the surgeon tried to drain the cyst but was unable to do so. He decided we should just wait and come back in three months...By mid March my co-workers and relatives convinced me to get a second opinion. She also tried to drain it - no luck...She recommended a biopsy...The words I feared she spoke - it was a tumor, 2.4 centimeters...by Friday I had my right breast removed and a temporary implant inserted...oncologist recommended six rounds of chemotherapy...My tumor was estrogen receptive positive so that would also require my taking tamoxifin for five years...

Sharon's breast cancer survivor story - I got the call from my surgeon regarding the outcome of my biopsy...I was not able to feel my lump...I was not sick with Chemo (the new anti nausea drugs are so good!). I was not very tired from the radiation...If there is anything I can get across to your readers is that they need to get an annual mammogram.

Lauren's breast cancer survivor story - At the age of 34, on my 2nd anniversary, my husband noticed a lump...OB/GYN was 99% sure this was fibrocystic...I had a lumpectomy for a 2.8 cm tumor, with axcillary dissection...I had 8 affected lymph nodes...I had two types of chemo, Adriamycin and Taxol...I also completed 61/2 weeks of radiation...I found out through various surgeons and professionals that by the time my tumor had grown to that size, it had probably been there 10 years. I would have been 24.

Maris's breast cancer survivor story - I went in for my yearly mammogram with the usual confidence that I had always gone...I needed to have another mammogram just for precaution...biopsy showed I would need to have a mastectomy...in less than two weeks I was having surgery. The good news is there was no cancer in the lymph nodes and the pathology report was good...I had four sessions of chemo 21 days apart...I have been blessed with great doctors, nurses, family and friends.

Brenda's breast cancer survivor story - It all began so innocently! - To my shock, a week after the mammogram I received a letter in the mail telling me that an abnormality had been detected in my x-ray...scheduled a breast biopsy...I had cancer, and it was in very early stage, he said stage 0. Due to the nature of my cancer, a lumpectomy was not an option for me...The calcifications covered a large portion of my right breast tissue, and in order to remove all the cancer cells, a mastectomy would have to be done...chose to have an immediate breast TRAM flap reconstruction...My pathology report was excellent, the cancer had not spread outside the breast tissue, the lymph nodes were clear. My oncologist recommended no further treatments. No chemotherapy, no radiation therapy, no tamoxifen, nothing. All I had to do was recover from my surgery and pick up my life where I left off. What a blessing!

Sherri - Daughter of breast cancer survivor - When I was a freshman in college my Mom was diagnoses with breast cancer...doctors did not think it was anything but they decided to do a biopsy. Many were very surprised when the biopsy came back positive...three years later regular mammogram (and sonogram) they found a mass in the remaining breast...In the last two years my Mom and I have participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure walk in Houston, Tx.

Danny - 30 year old husband of breast cancer survivor - painful lump - negative mammogram - pregnancy after treatments - knows a little more of God's plans.

Bobbi's breast cancer survivor story - it has been six years since my last chemotherapy treatment...I was 31 years old and did not need a mammogram and certainly did not have time for one...it was very suspicious of malignancy...decided that ok, I was the one who was suppose to go through this and I was gonna be strong for my family and kids...I told the man I was dating that he was dismissed from the relationship...just like a man, he wanted to stay...I was not really ready like I tried to get my family to believe, I hate needles, I hate pain...I was dry heaving before my first session was complete. Oh joy and rapture how many more of these do I get? ...the chemo would make me vomit for five days and I could not get up only to get sick...so when I completed that I did my radiation which was a walk in the park...it was a very humbling experience, losing your hair and half your breast...by the grace of God I have a beautiful 10 month old son, along with a gorgeous 10 year old daughter (Whom looks just like me) and a very handsome 12 year old son, and a hunk a hunk of burning love Husband who without him I am not sure if I would even be here.

Gloria's breast cancer survivor story - outpatient procedure for an excisional biopsy...for a lump found...diagnosis was cancer...found out that my lump was small (1.1 cm) and that 18 of 18 lymph nodes removed were all benign...recommended chemotherapy and radiation followed by five years of tamoxifen...had four rounds of Adriamycin and Cytoxan...radiation treatments--35 in all, and began rads about 6 weeks after my last chemo...I discovered a group of women on an AOL breast cancer board who quickly became my online support group...we really connected and developed love and friendship with one another...when I was down or sad or scared, there was always one or another sister online to hold my cyber hand and lend a cyber shoulder to cry on...began taking tamoxifen in July 1998 along with my radiation treatments and I experienced tremendous hot flashes and I finally hit bottom and was crying all the time...saw a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with clinical depression and put me on Effexor...Now, I and many of my Just Us sisters reach out to help others who are newly diagnosed...

Paula's breast cancer survivor story - my yearly mammogram detected a small lesion in my left breast and I underwent a lumpectomy and a six week course of radiation...9 years later yearly mammogram showed that there had been a recurrence in the left breast...mastectomy is the only safe option pathology report showed that there was a marker namely lobular carcinoma in situ, which meant that it was 50/50 that I WOULD get it again...had second mastectomy I opted NOT to have breast reconstruction but to have two prostheses which I can wear all the time, or choose the occasions when I want to...Another plus - NO MORE MAMMOGRAMS!

Kimberly - daughter of breast cancer survivor - she had a mammogram and the doctor told her [the lump] was probably nothing, but we insisted on a biopsy...my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer...surgery was set...they would have to do a mastectomy and reconstruction at the same time...it was hard for her to get up and down because they used the muscle from her abdomen to make the breast, so it was like having two surgeries at once...my mother and I are closer than ever before...I pray for everyone else out there dealing with breast cancer!

Faye's breast cancer survivor story - My story begins with a routine mammogram...this time the radiologist came in to talk with me...there was something showing that she did not like the looks of...so a needle biopsy was scheduled...those were the two most miserable weeks of my life...I couldn't eat, sleep or concentrate on anything. I knew in my heart that I would be diagnosed with cancer, I just didn't know how bad it would be. My needle biopsy did show cancer cells...Thirteen lymph nodes were removed from my right arm and all were negative...tumor was estrogen receptive positive...drainage tubes were bummers...terrible hot flashes, but I take Bellamine which does help some...

Susanne's breast cancer survivor story - my first breast cancer appeared as a small little pea sized lump in my left breast when I was 29...had a lumpectomy and 5 weeks of radiation treatment...the scar area was changing...another lumpectomy and a 4cm. sized malignant tumor was found that had attached itself to the scar tissue on the inside...36 vitamins each day, 12 with each meal including shark cartilage, drank really awful tea and did magnetic blood cleansing treatments and pulsating treatments...MRI found tumor calcifications throughout the breast...had mastectomy, reconstuction and then multiple skin recurrences...found a small tumor in my right breast had a hysterectomy (since I am estrogen receptor positive) with follow-up arimidex...cancer had metastasized to the bones and I had 3 fractured ribs and 2 months of radiation treatments...taking monthly injections of faslodex (like tamoxifen)and a monthly infusion of zometa...for bone metastasis...had a latissmus flap reconstruction surgery...the best thing for me has been letting God take charge and admitting that He is in control of my life...

Chuck's story - Nothing I can think of can affect you as much as when you discover that the love of your life has a critical illness...what matters is that we give our total support to that special person...I hope I can help you do this...do not be afraid to cry, it is not the sign of a sissy, it is the expression of hurt, anger and fear. My dear friend if you think you can make things better by ignoring your feelings you are wrong...one of the first things you feel is helplessness. You are not accustomed to that feeling. The woman you love is now out of your ability to help...Being there is the best medicine you can give at this time...

Vicki's breast cancer survivor story - the radiologist said it was just a calcification...I wanted a biopsy...he was 99.5% sure it was not cancer...it was...lumpectomy did not have clear margins so I had to go through surgery again...after surgery came 32 radiation treatments...cancer for me was 95% mental and 5% physical...

Michelle - daughter of breast cancer survivor - I was only 11 years old when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer...I held her hand through chemo. I held the bucket when she got sick. I brushed her hair as it fell out...

Audrea's breast cancer survivor story - I was going through a series of fertility tests... the lump in my right breast was treated as nothing to be worried about...the biopsy showed high grade infiltrative carcinoma...I'm not sure if I really understood the depth of what I had just been told...I chose a full mastectomy on my right breast and also on my left...finished with chemotherapy...had my second stage reconstruction three days ago...My advice is to find a focus and live for that...

Danny - 30 year old husband of breast cancer survivor - painful lump - negative mammogram - pregnancy after treatments - knows a little more of God's plans.

Laura's breast cancer survivor story - 27 years old engaged to be married... I felt a lump in my left breast...had mammogram an ultrasound and told it was just a cyst...2 years later had cyst removed and told it was cancer...had a lumpectomy had 4 positive lymph nodes, chemo, stem cell transplant, and radiation...a diagnosis of radiation to my lung...serious pneumonia after this with suppress immune system from the stem cell transplant...had three blockages in one artery from radiation...4 years later... Scar tissue near lumpectomy seems a little different, but regular CT, Bone Scans, Mammograms, and labs don't show anything. I saw a breast surgeon at this hospital and she did a fine needle biopsy. She told me it didn't show anything...2 years later new doctor didn't like this scar area either and sent me for a mammogram and ultra sound... Well, doctor could see this mass under ultra sound and thinks it's scar tissue too did a core biopsy and found it was cancer...Last year I was the #1 female fundraiser in our local Relay for Life, and my team...

Roberta's breast cancer survivor story - I am a soon-to-be survivor of inflammatory breast cancer...There was a lump - small, slightly tender and elliptical - on the side of my right breast...the tissue around my nipple was slightly thickened...a small area of rash rather like a light sunburn around the aureole. No itch, no sting, no soreness, just slightly redder than normal...mammogram results indicated an area believed to be benign...surgeon told me he had seen inflammatory breast cancer and this wasn't it...did a skin biopsy, with the results being inconclusive...prescribed many antibiotics...after ultrasound, diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer... treated with chemotherapy - Adriamycin, Cytoxan, 5FU and Tamoxifen with a 5FU booster and mastectomy...reacted badly to the first Taxotere treatment...next week, I start radiation therapy for 6 weeks... Through it all, the most wonderful things have happened...

Gail's breast cancer survivor story - The Cyst That Saved My Life - diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 42. I felt a lump in my right breast that was slightly painful...mammogram was highly suspicious for carcinoma...the lump I was feeling turned out to be a benign cyst but the mammogram revealed a mass that was malignant.

Cathy's breast cancer survivor story - survivor for 12 years... M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston treated me for inflammatory carcinoma...8 rounds of chemo, 33 radiation treatments and a segmental mastectomy with removal of some lymph nodes...I got a clean bill of health...I was determined that I would live to see my kids grow up.

Donna's breast cancer survivor story - scheduled mammogram as an afterthought...radiologist then suggested ultrasound...then suggested biopsy...I got the call that I had malignant breast cancer, stage II, grade II...I had two surgeries (lumpectomies) on the left breast and lymph node removal; 4 courses of A/C chemo; 12 weekly treatments of taxol; and 33 radiation treatments...lots of useful information for those on or needing chemo.

Nancy's breast cancer survivor story - discovered 2 breast lumps in my left breast...had negative fine needle aspirates (FNA)...told to come back in six months...then had negative mammogram...two years later had negative ultrasound but biopsy was suggested...two years later yet another doctor diagnosed Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, stage IIA...had bi-lateral mastectomies...lymph nodes were all negative...had 4 cycles of chemo therapy and am taking Tamoxifen, which I suffer a lot of side affects from...also have mild lymphadema in my left arm from the lymph node dissection...parents have been my rock and have been by my side the whole way.

Mary Ann's breast cancer survivor story - I had a history of cysts...lump did not show up on mammogram...after ultrasound, the doctor told me it was a fluid-filled cyst and nothing to worry about...One year later...the results came back the same...wouldn't give me a referral. I went to the surgeon on my own...my lump was not just a cyst...lumpectomy followed by mastectomy...My message is this...take an active part in your healthcare.

Sabrena's breast cancer survivory story - I had a lump about 1 inch in diameter which was classified as a T2...I had a lumpectomy done in September of 2000. I had a port a cath put in for the chemo treatments and blood draws...8 weeks for radiation treatments...the surgeon came in he said, "You now have breast cancer on the left side"...I have never cried so much in my life...I choose to have a bilateral mastectomy...The skin died in a couple places which was causing me to have multiple infections...So I guess I am a survivor for 9 months. I really look at things differently. I don't take life or loved ones for granted.

http://www.pinkribbonshop.com/breastcancersurvivorstories.aspx

Week 5

There are many breast cancer organizations around the world and they do many different things. Some help raise money, some help with support, and others organize gatherings so all breast cancer patients can unite and do things together to share experiences. Breast cancer awareness month is in October and a lot of local places will sell pink ribbons or anything that's pink to raise money for breast cancer. The main organization is the American Cancer Society but that helps support all types of cancer. A really big organization just for breast cancer is Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This organization is very popular and advertises in many ways to research a cure for breast cancer and get donations. They also organize a lot of events like marathons to raise money instead of just selling products. Susan Komen was diagnosed with breast cancer and died 3 years later. The organization was founded by her sister, because she promised susan that she would find a way to speed up the research for breast cancer. In 2007 they had the organization celebrated their 25th anniversary and their new mission statement is "to end breast cancer forever". Most cities will organize a marathon that's either walking or running to support breast cancer patients and anybody can participate in these marathons. Most hospitals that treat breast cancer provide support groups for those patients experiencing breast cancer or who have already experienced it. These support groups help the patients realize they aren't the only ones out there going through this terrible time in their life, share their feelings about what is going on, and just have somebody to talk to that can relate. Breast cancer patients aren't required to attend these support groups it's just offered to them and they can take advantage of them if they want. All of these organizations and support groups have really helped influence other people to participate in helping to find a cure for breast cancer. Breast cancer is unfortunately becoming a very common occurrence in women and the more people participate in supporting these organizations the faster we will find a cure for breast cancer.

Week 4

There are are many different kinds of treatments for breast cancer patients and some work better than others for every individual person. The three main medical treatments are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Surgery is done to remove the lump in the breast and then the other treatments are followed. A lot of the time people with advanced stages of cancer need both treatments. Chemotherapy often has really bad side affects and it varies from person to person. The most common side affect that usually affects every person is hair loss. The dosage you get and how many times a week you get it all depends on the type of cancer and how advanced the cancer is. Radiation isn't as intense of a treatment as chemotherapy and people who only get radiation don't have an advanced form of cancer.

"Chemotherapy is the general term for any treatment involving the use of chemical agents to stop cancer cells from growing. Chemotherapy can eliminate cancer cells at sites great distances from the original cancer. As a result, chemotherapy is considered a systemic treatment."

"Chemotherapy is designed to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be administered through a vein, injected into a body cavity, or delivered orally in the form of a pill, depending on which drug is used.

Chemotherapy works by destroying cancer cells; unfortunately, it cannot tell the difference between a cancer cell and some healthy cells. So chemotherapy eliminates not only the fast-growing cancer cells but also other fast-growing cells in your body, including, hair and blood cells.
Some cancer cells grow slowly while others grow rapidly. As a result, different types of chemotherapy drugs target the growth patterns of specific types of cancer cells. Each drug has a different way of working and is effective at a specific time in the life cycle of the cell it targets."

"Radiation therapy uses a special kind of high-energy beam to damage cancer cells. (Other types of energy beams include light and x-rays.) These high-energy beams, which are invisible to the human eye, damage a cell’s DNA, the material that cells use to divide.

Over time, the radiation damages cells that are in the path of its beam — normal cells as well as cancer cells. But radiation affects cancer cells more than normal cells."

Other treatments are hormone therapy which consists mainly of medicine taken orally and it prevents hormones from developing. "Hormone therapy , including tamoxifen in premenopausal women, and the aromatase inhibitors Arimidex, Aromasin and Femara in postmenopausal women. Hormone therapy uses drugs to prevent hormones, especially estrogen, from promoting the growth of breast cancer cells that may remain after breast cancer surgery."

Week 3

Many factors contribute to having cancer and more people are susceptible than others. One factor is genetics and knowing whether or not there is a family history is very important. There are two genes that have been associated with most types of inherited breast cancer and they are BRCA1 and BRCA2, which stands for breast cancer gene one and two. "The function of these genes is to keep breast cells growing normally and to prevent any cancer cell growth. But when these genes contain abnormalities, or mutations, they are associated with an increased breast cancer risk." A family history of Ovarian cancer can also account for the risk of breast cancer. There are now tests that can be done in order to check for these genes so precautions can be taken earlier in advance. Genetics is a factor in having breast cancer, but it is not the main one. The main factor of developing breast cancer is simply being a woman. Another factor is age, usually women are diagnosed around the age of 50. These three factors cannot be changed or altered in any way.

"But hereditary breast cancer - caused by a mutant gene passed from parents to their children - is rare. Estimates of the incidence of hereditary breast cancer range from between 5 to 10 percent to as many as 27 percent of all breast cancers."

"Hereditary breast cancer is suspected when there is a strong family history of breast cancer: occurrences of the disease in at least three first or second-degree relatives (sisters, mothers, aunts). Currently the only tests available are DNA tests to determine whether an individual in such a high-risk family has a genetic mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes."

http://www.genome.gov/10000507