Topic: Diagnosis Under 30?

Apr 6, 2012 04:23 AM MiniMacsMom wrote:

There are a fair amount of us on here :)  I was 27 at DX, 28 now and only one chemo round left!! WOOT!  You will get through it!  I found my lump when I stopped nursing, it didn't change for 2 mo so I got it checked out.  This part that you are in sucks!  I definatley urge you to get a second opinion at a major medical center before you make any decisions.  I didn't wait and I might have had better cosmetic results if I had done chemo before surgery.  There are many different options out there :)  I travel to MDAnderson in TX for my second opinion!  Mostly though, just breath and try to give yourself time to think about the happy non-cancer parts of your life!

Apr 7, 2012 05:21 PM cconner wrote:

I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I am also 28 and found a lump this past November which was evidently positive for breast cancer. I had surgery in January and started my chemo in February. Yesterday I had my 3rd treatment of 6 total. It is quite terrifying news and I remember feeling like my world was caving in when I first found out, but there is so much life ahead of us. I have a daughter who turned two right before I started chemo and the best realization for me was that by the time she's 3, treatment will be complete. most treatments are usually less than a year. With that said, at the beginning of this journey you want to be sure to choose your health care team carefully. I was luckily referred to an amazing surgeon. I had planned to go with her "team" including a plastic surgeon and oncologist. The oncologist I met with was very nice and informative, but something just didn't feel right. I had chosen to get a second opinion which proved to be the best thing for me. Remember, you have to feel comfortable with those who are caring for you. Best of luck to you! And yes, as young women, we are very lucky to have found what we did early enough to treat it.

Another thing that really helped me was to read Chicken soup for the breast cancer survivors soul.

May 5, 2012 02:56 PM drbean13 wrote:

Things will get a little less scary once you have decisions about treatment made.

I was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer at 26 years old. I'm still dealing with some reconstruction issues, but I'm done with chemo (TCH), and I'm almost done with two years of Zoladex. Then I'll have three years of tamoxifen left.

Getting cancer in your twenties has its own set of challenges. One of these for me was that NO one my age was getting treatment at my oncologist's office. Makes it feel kind of lonely. These discussion boards really help you to expect/prepare for treatment side effects, etc. Anyway, treatment can be overwhelming sometimes, but just remember you WILL get through it.

May 6, 2012 12:15 AM zillamom2 wrote:

I was 28 when I was diagnosed and I am now 39. I had a 15 mo old son when I found my cancer and then had another baby 2 yrs after my treatment. I just recently did get bc again but docs are not sure if local recurrence or new primary. I had a lumpectomy first time so this time I had a bmx. I can relate to how you feel because I didnt know anyone else my age that was 28 and going through all this. At 39 I still dont know many women going through it. I think when you are young it is good to be aggressive with the treatment and take really good care of yourself including exercise to prevent other health issues from treatment since so young. I am at the beginning stage of osteoporosis and chemo contributes to that. I am too young for that but didnt take care of myself as well as I should of after the first treatment.

May 7, 2012 01:53 AM roadwarrior28 wrote:

Msvirgo828 - I'm so sorry about what you've been going through. It's tough to battle cancer at any age, but I think for us, since we're so young, it just somehow feels worse, not fair. I wish you the best of luck :)

May 25, 2012 08:49 AM AshleyB wrote:

Hi roadwarrior28: I am very sorry to hear about your diagnosis. It is just down right sh*tty to have this happen at our age. I am 28 and was diagnosed in January. I did embryo preservation back in March. I think it is really important to have that as our Plan B should any treatment not allow us to have children afterwards. However, saying that, a lot of women I have talked to who are under 35 say that their periods return after a few years of treatment and they go on to have families down the road. If the option to do the IVF preservation is there for you though I think it is a very smart decision. If you have any questions about it you can PM me if you like. 

May 25, 2012 10:02 AM AshleyB wrote:

Roadwarrior: That is really good news. I hope you are recovering well since surgery. Good luck with the IVF treatments next week.

May 27, 2012 04:53 AM CloserToFine wrote:

Hi roadwarrior - I'm new to these boards too, although not so new to BC! I was diagnosed in 2010 at 28, and had a mastectomy and reconstruction with tamoxifen. I didn't do bilateral because of advice from lots of oncologists, who said I could still breastfeed with just one breast if I'm lucky enough to have a baby one day. On a less positive note, they agreed that all the research shows it's not usually a second cancer that occurs in the other breast that really affects how you do long term. These decisions are super personal and different for all of us and I'm so glad you sound comfortable with yours, which makes it exactly right for you! I was very happy with my decision but unfortunately am having a recurrence scare right now on the same side as my original cancer - will know for sure after surgery next Thursday.

So sorry we all have to be on these boards but it's good not to feel alone! 

May 28, 2012 06:48 AM CloserToFine wrote:

Hi AshleyB - I don't mind at all! Initially I was 2.4cm IDC (mucinous) with 4cm DCIS around it, which is why we chose mastectomy since lumpectomy would have left me with half a boob! I had sentinel node biopsy at time of surgery and all nodes were negative. I had a screening MRI a few weeks ago (18 months after original diagnosis and 12 months after finishing reconstruction) and they saw an enlarged internal mammary node (under the breastbone) on the same side as the original cancer, so I have to have VATS chest surgery this Thursday to take it out. I've also heard of women who have recurred after mastectomy in the chest wall, as well as the axilla or other nodes like internal mammary or above the clavicle. I'm hoping the node is just benign and reactive because of all the reconstructive surgery but we'll see!

Jun 25, 2012 12:58 AM silverbird wrote:

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with bc only 3 weeks ago, and had my lumpectomy done on friday. The frozen section showed no cancer cells in sentinel lymph nodes at the time of surgery but I am still waiting for the final pathology report next week. I am ER+, PR+, HER2 unknown.

Do the oncologists always recommend chemo for young women with bc? I am just so afraid of the side effects of chemo...