Navigating a Borderline Phyllodes Tumor Diagnosis at 22

Hi everyone,

I'm a 22-year-old facing a recent diagnosis of a borderline phyllodes tumor, and I could use some guidance and support.

On 11/10, I noticed a tumor, leading to a biopsy on 11/14. The biopsy results were inconclusive due to uncertainty between fibroadenoma and phyllodes tumor. Following this, a lumpectomy on 12/6 aimed to shell out the tumor to preserve breast tissue due to my age and the likelihood of a phyllodes tumor being low. During the lumpectomy, the tumor appeared mildly infiltrative therefore, a small amount of breast tissue was removed. The pathology report was a borderline phyllodes tumor with negative margins.

Here is the pathology reports if you’re interested: https://imgur.com/a/uyygl5k

I have a couple of questions. What is the most likely treatment for this tumor? Is another surgery necessary since the margins were not wide? Do I have breast cancer?

It seems that radiation is a common treatment, and I'm grappling with how to communicate this to others. I'm unsure whether to say I have breast cancer, as the situation feels challenging to articulate.

Your insights on the borderline phyllodes tumor diagnosis and any advice on expected treatments or follow-up would mean the world to me during this challenging time. 💕

Comments

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,499

    Welcome, @phyllodesat22. We're so sorry you find yourself here, we know this can be an overwhelming time. You are definitely not alone!

    We know you have a lot of questions, and because phyllodes tumors are so rare, it can be harder to find information and answers. We have several threads in our Less Common Types of Breast Cancer forum that can offer info, guidance, and hopefully shed some light on potential treatments and give you insight into what others in your situation have done.

    The Mods