QuestionQUESTION: I recently had a biopsy taken from my left breast due to it being sore, on examination there were no lumps found but due to me being very tender and loosing something other then milk from my nipples, my doctor sent me for a breast ultrasound which found I have a lot of cysts and nodules in both breasts, but there was some abnormal cells found in my left breast which is the reason I was sent for the biopsy. The doctor told me that they can't tell me I have breast cancer and they can't say that I don't have breast cancer but I have abnormal cells which look like cancer cells starting to grow, which have to be removed as soon as possible, I am booked in to see the surgeon on the 22nd January 2009 and I am very nervous and scared and don't know what to think and feel about this whole situation. Recently my husband and I have been trying to have a baby and was about to start fertility drugs, but now my doctor is telling me that I can't have a baby right now, not until this is all sorted out first because my life is more important and if I was to fall pregnant right now, that I would have to have it terminated, which I am strongly agenced abortion. What I would like to know is, after they take the atypical cells out of my left breast, I am scared that I might have to have Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy and if I have to have these treatments I won't be able to have another baby, I was wondering when they take this atypical cells out, will have to have either treatments whether it shows up to be cancer or not? I am very nervous and scared and am trying to get as much information and support on this horrible time in my life.
ANSWER: How were these atypical cells found? In the fluid from your nipples? Any other way? With such dense breasts your mammography & ultrasound breast scan should be complemented with MRI breast scans! If indeed these cells were found in any nipple discharge a galactogram should be done (= a mammography examination where an x-ray contrast fluid has been injected into the milk duct from which the discharge comes). I agree with your dr. that you SHOULD NOT become pregnant at present! I think we have to take this one step at a time! First we have to find out what indeed it is that you have. THEN when that is known we can discuss what that means for you with regards to your wishes. No use to speculate now when we do not KNOW! Right?
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: How I found out I had atypical cells in my breast was from the breast ultrasound I had done after my breast were losing discharge other then milk from my nipple, it wasn't the discharge that was tested, the doctor sent me to have a FNA biopsy which come back that I have atypical cells, the reason for the FNA biopsy was because one of my nodules was a different shape them all the others and seemed to look suspicious, now I have to see a surgeon to have the nodule removed and then they will be sending that to pathology to see if its is cancer or not, but they said with the FNA biopsy they said that the atypical cells looked like cancer cells forming but they can't tell until they have it removed and examine in, I will find out on the 22nd of January 2009 when the surgeon will operate to remove the nodule from my left breast...
Thankyou so much replying so fast to my question, I hope I have explained it better this time around...
ANSWER: I see so it was by a needle biopsy. Ok so that lesion will be removed. Well, then we will have to wait for the pathology report. Please do keep me posted!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I will keep you posted on what the out come of this is, thankyou so much for answering my questions.
I have one more if you don't mind me asking?
I have been told that I can't have a baby until after this nodule is removed, and if I do fall pregnant before hand, is there any way they can take that nodule out of my breast without me having to terminate the pregnancy, I am only asking this because I was due for my period on the 25th of this month and I am a 31 day month and I am spot on every month normally, but this month I am late, well only 2-3 days late so far, but my doctor told me the other day that if I was to fall pregnant then I would have to terminate it as soon as possible, what I am asking, is there anyway they can still do the operation while I am pregnant without anything happening to the baby?
AnswerTo take out the lesion surgically (biopsy or lumpectomy) MAY be possible even if you are pregnant - you have to discuss that with your surgeon. But the rest of ANY cancer treatment can hardly be done if you are pregnant! But we do not know if this is a cancer yet even if rather probable. AND DO NOT sacrifice yourself! Any child would need its mother! So YOUR life has TOP priority NOT the life of any fetus. I'm not fond of abortions (even though I'm not religious) but sometimes they are necessary. And may be here!
