Breast Cancer Survivor

[Bajanne]

I had my run in with breast cancer 12 years ago.  I had a simple mastectomy and have had no recurrences since.  {I kind of thought that I had done with serious medical problems, but up came this kidney problem!}
The reason I thought about sharing concerning my cancer is because of the need to make people aware of the kind of breast cancer I had.  This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in an episode of 'Strong Medicine' yesterday on Lifetime TV, there was a patient with this type of  breast cancer.
This type is called Paget's Disease of the Breast/Nipple. It seems this is more common in the UK.  Mine went undiagnosed for months, since the usual signs were not there - no lumps.  Instead I had a sore on my nipple, which was first treated as exzema by our family doctor.  This went on for 5 months.  The sore would form a scab, which would come off, then another would start up.
I went to a public clinic near the school where I taught.  It so happened that the doctor there was an Englishwoman who had an idea what it might be.  She sent me to the hospital and the doctor whom I saw there happened to have trained in England, and told me it seemed to be Paget's Disease of the Breast. That was the first time I ever heard of that.  He explained that it meant that I had interductal cancer (in the milk ducts). I had a biopsy which confirmed it, and on December 15, 1993, I had my mastectomy.  the following year, I had 6 chemotherapy sessions, and a month of radiotherapy.
On the television show, they spoke about something that I fully understood.   I had asked my doctor what stage I was, since I heard people talking about Stage I, Stage II, etc.  He told me that I couldn't be categorized as a stage since it was little spots of cancer in my milk ducts as opposed to one specific lump.  On the television yesterday, the doctor explained to the patient that it was considered Stage 0 because of the same reason.
I must say, though, that breast cancer doesn't interfere with your lifesyle like dialysis (so long as you survive it!)

[toad]

my mother also has pagets disease..she lost one breast to it as well...but they also told her that the chances of her loosing the other one eventually was close to 100%...do u know anything about this thanks

[Bajanne]

I have no idea.  I have 12 years as a survivor and nothing has come up.  I do hope that isn't true!

[Rerun]

I had a mammogram that showed calcifications.  They did a core biopsy and found a-typical cells.  Not cancer but not normal and could be cancerous down the road.  Yesterday I had to have an open excision biopsy.  I will get the results by Tuesday.  My concern is that if it is cancer they won't put me on the transplant list.  I can tell you right now I will not go through treatment.  I can't do dialysis and chemo.   

[Bajanne]

Yes, you can.  Chemo is not that bad really.  I had 6 chemo sessions in all, and only after 2 of them I felt a bit crappy.  But I didn't lose my hair or anything, and didn't have bad experiences after the chemo.

[redheadedangel]

  You can do annything...you are a survivor! WE ALL ARE!  Good for us!  Sassy





EDITED: Fixed Icon Tag Error - Sluff, Moderator

[Sluff]

   For those survivors here to enjoy another Christmas.