Member Since: July 19, 2006
Last Login: October 3, 2008
Location: MA
Occupation: science teacher
Biography
dx ILC 7/17/06, age 39
bilat mast 8/22/06
33 rads
oopherectomy, Tamoxifen
DIEP 7/07
STRONG family hx; mom, aunt, g-grandmother
Diagnosis
Recent Posts by ValerieF
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma), Created: Sep 16, 2008 07:56 pm
Age at diagnosis39; premenopausal Fourth premenopausal woman in three generations of my family to be dx with breast cancer (My aunt had IDC--she thinks--my mom's type is unknown (she died in 1983), and g-grandmother obviously unknown). Valerie, age 41, dx with ILC 7/06 |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma), Created: Sep 16, 2008 07:53 pm
Does BRCA relate to ILC??My oncologist is doing a study on the CDH1 gene and lobular breast cancer. The preliminary study is currently closed--they are waiting for results---but I'll let you know if/when they reopen it and what the findings were. BTW, I have a friend with very atypical ILC--dx at age 28, ER/PR- and Her2+ Valerie, age 41, dx with ILC 7/06 |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma), Created: Dec 26, 2007 07:21 pm
ILC and chemoHi Kathleen, I was dx with ILC at age 39. The MRI/CT/mammogram estimated the tumor size to be anywhere from 6 to 10 cm, but it turned out to be "only" 4.5 cm. By this date, you have already had your surgery, so you'll know about tumor size and nodes. Anyway, I had the 4.5 cm tumor with 3+ nodes, but went into my first oncologist visit armed with Dr. Cristofanelli's study and a couple of others. My onc was quick to say that she thought that it was reasonable for me to have hormonal therapy rather than chemo. So, I started with ovarian suppression + tamoxifen and also did rads. I had my ovaries removed in August. So far, so good. Valerie, age 41, dx with ILC 7/06 |
Posted in:
Support & Community Connections + High Risk of Recurrence or Second Breast Cancer, Created: Dec 26, 2007 06:48 pm
BRCA 1/2+ studyHi everyone,
My oncologist, Nadine Tung at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, is starting a new study on BRCA 1/2+ tumors. She asked me to help recruit participants, since I helped recruit the participants for the lobular study. Here is her email: This new study involves women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who have had breast cancer. We are interested in studying the slides and pathology blocks from these tumors to evaluate changes in these cancers that will provide clues as to how to treat these cancers, and hopefully cancers that act like them in women without a known mutation. We are especially interested in estrogen receptor + (ER+) breast cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers. These are fairly rare and hard to come by. However, we are also interested in ALL breast cancers in mutation carriers (BRCA1 and BRCA2). She asks that interested participants email her. Her email: ntung@bidmc.harvard.edu  Valerie Valerie, age 41, dx with ILC 7/06 |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + HER2/neu Positive Breast Cancer, Created: Dec 26, 2007 06:48 pm
BRCA 1/2+ studyHi everyone,
My oncologist, Nadine Tung at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, is starting a new study on BRCA 1/2+ tumors. She asked me to help recruit participants, since I helped recruit the participants for the lobular study. Here is her email: This new study involves women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who have had breast cancer. We are interested in studying the slides and pathology blocks from these tumors to evaluate changes in these cancers that will provide clues as to how to treat these cancers, and hopefully cancers that act like them in women without a known mutation. We are especially interested in estrogen receptor + (ER+) breast cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers. These are fairly rare and hard to come by. However, we are also interested in ALL breast cancers in mutation carriers (BRCA1 and BRCA2). She asks that interested participants email her. Her email: ntung@bidmc.harvard.edu Valerie Valerie, age 41, dx with ILC 7/06 |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Triple Negative, Created: Dec 26, 2007 06:47 pm
BRCA 1/2+ studyHi everyone,
My oncologist, Nadine Tung at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, is starting a new study on BRCA 1/2+ tumors. She asked me to help recruit participants, since I helped recruit the participants for the lobular study. Here is her email: This new study involves women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who have had breast cancer. We are interested in studying the slides and pathology blocks from these tumors to evaluate changes in these cancers that will provide clues as to how to treat these cancers, and hopefully cancers that act like them in women without a known mutation. We are especially interested in estrogen receptor + (ER+) breast cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers. These are fairly rare and hard to come by. However, we are also interested in ALL breast cancers in mutation carriers (BRCA1 and BRCA2). She asks that interested participants email her. Her email: ntung@bidmc.harvard.edu Valerie Valerie, age 41, dx with ILC 7/06 |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ), Created: Dec 26, 2007 06:46 pm
BRCA 1/2+ studyHi everyone,
My oncologist, Nadine Tung at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, is starting a new study on BRCA 1/2+ tumors. She asked me to help recruit participants, since I helped recruit the participants for the lobular study. Here is her email: This new study involves women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who have had breast cancer. We are interested in studying the slides and pathology blocks from these tumors to evaluate changes in these cancers that will provide clues as to how to treat these cancers, and hopefully cancers that act like them in women without a known mutation. We are especially interested in estrogen receptor + (ER+) breast cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers. These are fairly rare and hard to come by. However, we are also interested in ALL breast cancers in mutation carriers (BRCA1 and BRCA2). She asks that interested participants email her. Her email: ntung@bidmc.harvard.edu Valerie Valerie, age 41, dx with ILC 7/06 |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma), Created: Dec 26, 2007 06:46 pm
BRCA 1/2+ studyHi everyone,
My oncologist, Nadine Tung at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, is starting a new study on BRCA 1/2+ tumors. She asked me to help recruit participants, since I helped recruit the participants for the lobular study. Here is her email: This new study involves women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who have had breast cancer. We are interested in studying the slides and pathology blocks from these tumors to evaluate changes in these cancers that will provide clues as to how to treat these cancers, and hopefully cancers that act like them in women without a known mutation. We are especially interested in estrogen receptor + (ER+) breast cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers. These are fairly rare and hard to come by. However, we are also interested in ALL breast cancers in mutation carriers (BRCA1 and BRCA2). She asks that interested participants email her. Her email: ntung@bidmc.harvard.edu Valerie Valerie, age 41, dx with ILC 7/06 |
Posted in:
Support & Community Connections + Young Women with Breast Cancer, Created: Dec 8, 2007 09:04 am
New study for BRCA 1/2+Hi everyone,
My oncologist, Nadine Tung at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, is starting a new study on BRCA 1/2+ tumors. She asked me to help recruit participants, since I helped recruit the participants for the lobular study. Here is her email: This new study involves women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who have had breast cancer. We are interested in studying the slides and pathology blocks from these tumors to evaluate changes in these cancers that will provide clues as to how to treat these cancers, and hopefully cancers that act like them in women without a known mutation. We are especially interested in estrogen receptor + (ER+) breast cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers. These are fairly rare and hard to come by. However, we are also interested in ALL breast cancers in mutation carriers (BRCA1 and BRCA2). She asks that interested participants email her. Her email: ntung@bidmc.harvard.edu Valerie |
Posted in:
Day to Day Matters + Research, News, and Study Results, Created: Dec 8, 2007 09:03 am
New study for BRCA 1/2+Hi everyone,
My oncologist, Nadine Tung at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, is starting a new study on BRCA 1/2+ tumors. She asked me to help recruit participants, since I helped recruit the participants for the lobular study. Here is her email: This new study involves women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who have had breast cancer. We are interested in studying the slides and pathology blocks from these tumors to evaluate changes in these cancers that will provide clues as to how to treat these cancers, and hopefully cancers that act like them in women without a known mutation. We are especially interested in estrogen receptor + (ER+) breast cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers. These are fairly rare and hard to come by. However, we are also interested in ALL breast cancers in mutation carriers (BRCA1 and BRCA2). She asks that interested participants email her. Her email: ntung@bidmc.harvard.edu Valerie |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma), Created: Nov 7, 2007 10:22 pm
genetics of ILC studyHi all. I filled out my papers and submitted my blood sample at the end of September. Unfortunately it takes two months for the results to come back. Thank you for participating! I think it is so important to try to figure out the whys of this horrible disease. It is hard to find subjects for the study because there really aren't that many eligible patients. In women under 45 dx with bc, we're only like 3.5% |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma), Created: Sep 17, 2007 06:33 pm
genetics of ILC studyIronically, I haven't yet joined the study, because I haven't had an appointment with my onc since the study opened! I have one on the 28th though, and will fill out my paperwork and give my sample then. I'm so glad some of you are participating! My onc says that I'm a "legend" for helping to recruit ILC patients. I guess we're hard to find.... |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma), Created: Aug 13, 2007 03:52 pm
genetics of ILC studyThanks for your replies! I'll keep everyone posted on the results at any rate.
Valerie |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma), Created: Aug 12, 2007 11:26 am
silly question about our ILC section of boardHi. I visit breastcancer.org mostly b/c they have the ILC-specific thread. I don't post much, mostly b/c I spend many hours on YSC boards.
I was dx with ILC last summer at age 39 (4.5 cm, 3+ nodes). I had a bilat mast w/ implants put in. After reading the research, I asked my onc about hormonal tx rather than chemo, and she said it sounded "reasonable." So far, so good. I had 6.5 weeks of rads and have been on OS since Sept. I take Tamoxifen too. This summer I had DIEP recon done, and tomorrow I'm having an oopherectomy. Not a fun summer, but oh well. I'm glad to be here. My mom died of bc when she was 48, her sister is a 20 year survivor, and their grandmother (my great-gr) died of bc in 1922. |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma), Created: Aug 12, 2007 11:09 am
genetics of ILC studyHello everyone!
My name is Valerie and I live near Boston. Last summer I was diagnosed with ILC at the age of 39. My oncologist, Dr. Nadine Tung (Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston), is beginning a study on lobular carcinomas, and I volunteered to help her find participants. Dr. Tung and Dr. Judy Garber (Dana Farber in Boston) believe that they are on the trail of a new breast cancer gene that seems to be associated with lobular cancers. They are looking for participants that meet one of the following criteria: *bilateral lobular cancer (any age). *Invasive lobular cancer < 45 years old *Invasive lobular with one other 1st or 2nd degree relative with invasive lobular cancer *Invasive lobular cancer with two other invasive cancers on the same side of the family (dont necessarily have to know they are lobular therefore- can be any invasive cancers) Participants can also have had a mixed dx (lobular and another bc) Participants would not need to travel; they would just be sent forms to sign and some sort of collection method0--either a cheek swab kit or a blood draw kit (which would be done at your local doctor). If you are interested, please email Dr. Tung: ntung@bidmc.harvard.edu Thanks! Valerie P.S. I know that I posted this before, but unfortunately, I know that there are new women dx every day.... |
Posted in:
Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma), Created: Aug 12, 2007 10:56 am
ILC pollI chose a bilat mast. I had seen my mom die from bc, and read about the high incidence of bilat bc in ILC, and chose the bilat mast. Besides, losing two breasts really didn't seem any worse than losing one.
|