Breast cancer found early?

Question

My mum has just been diagnosed with breast cancer and I want to hear some good news on statistics, she will be operated on in 3 weeks.

Answer 1

It is really good news that your mother is in initial stage of Cancer when your mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. If the disease is found at the early stages (I and II) it is curable by proper treatments. The stages of the disease is calculated as under-

Stage 1—The cancer is no larger than 2 cm (0.8 in) and no cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes.
Stage 2—The cancer is between 2 cm and 5 cm, and the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.

Much depends apart from the Stage on the Grade of the disease and other health condition of the patient. All the usual treatments are to be given for early stage disease also.
Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are all utilized in the treatment of breast cancer. Depending on the stage, they will be used in different combinations or sequences to effect an appropriate strategy for the disease being treated.

Though the general side effects of Chemotherapy and radiation will be there, but it can be managed. Please give her encouragement and pray so that the disease is cured. Best of luck-

Answer 2

Hi Jayney,
One out of eight women are diagnosed during their life with breast cancer. I have seen it more than once in my closest surrounding and I can assure you that it is not the end of the world. The earlier it is found the easier it is. But your mom might have to go through some rough times and she will need the support of all her dear ones. The operation itself is nothing to be scared of, it is not complicated and doesn't take very long. The hardest part is chemo. If she has to undergo such therapy she will suffer a lot. It is important that you keep up her spirit and remember that 1.) you will know how many treatments she will have to take - so you will know when it will be over and 2.) the purpose of the treatment is to get rid of any future danger. If she has to undergo radiation - it's a piece of cake!

Most important but, you should always remember that your support, your strength and you optimistic attitude will make a difference!

I wish you and your mother all that strength and optimism!

Answer 3

My mother survived 17 years after first diagnosis with breast cancer (many years ago, treatments have improved)
My sister is 13 yearsafter her diagnoss and still cancer free.
I am 3 years post cancer.
My aunt (not blood relation) died 2 years ago after 50 years !!!!! Treatment has DEFINATELY improved in that time.

I have many friends who are well over 10 years cancer free following breast cancer.

Caught early, this is a very treatable disease.

Your mother may have times she thinks she will be better off dead over the next few months, the treatments make you feel cr@ppy, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and she will probably live many years to come.

Use this as a reminder to tell her how much you love her, just in case she is in a car accident tomorrow!

Answer 4

Sorry to hear about your mum.

Of course it is impossible to comment on your mum's possible prognosis from the details you have given and there are never any guarantees.

But according to Cancer Research UK around three quarters of breast cancers found at stage one are curable.

My breast cancer wasn't found early; it was grade 3 with 13 lymph nodes affected so not a wonderful prognosis, but here I am fit and well so far, over three years after surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

My best wishes to your mum

Answer 5

Its good if they found it early. And surgery is one of the best ways to remove the cancer. Radiation provides the back up to make sure all of the cancer is gone,a nd regrowth is not able to happen. Breast cancer is one of the most researched cancers and since it was first researched, survival rates have dramatically increased. She has a good chance of being very healthy in just a few months with the right doctors. Radiation may make her tired by the end of treatments, but for the most part, she should be just fine as far as energy, ect.

Answer 6

Another school where people who know nothing about breast cancer have scared little girls out of their wits by attempting to give a quite unnecessary lesson about it! This makes me so mad. OK, listen up. If a 13 year old had breast cancer her case would make headline news and be written up in medical journals all over the world. If she had it in both breasts it would cause an even greater sensation, as it would almost certainly be the first such case in the world. Breast cancer is almost unheard of in under 25s, let alone young teens. It is extremely rare in women under 30 (only 0.1% of all those diagnosed with it) and very rare in women under 40. I have had breast cancer, and I was classed as a 'younger woman'; I was 50 years old. Teenage girls should not be doing breast self-examinations; it tells them nothing and may worry them unnecessarily. The American Cancer Society and other cancer organisations recommend that women begin breast self-exams at no younger than 20, if then. Before that it's pointless firstly because there are so many hormonal changes that there is no 'normal' - and self examination is about a woman knowing what's normal for her and reporting any changes. And secondly because the chance of breast cancer is almost nil. The itching you describe sounds like a reaction to something like laundry detergent. Breasts are lumpy, bumpy things and most breast lumps, even in older women, aren't cancer. And don't forget, the fact that these things are occurring in both breasts makes it even less likely, if that were possible, that this is anything to worry about. Stop worrying; talk to your mother, who should be able to reassure you. If you really don't want to do that, talk to your school nurse, who will be used to girls having worries like this and will be able to reassure you that you don't have breast cancer. That's assuming your school nurse wasn't one of the idiots who decided to give a class of 11 year olds a lesson in breast cancer and breast self-examination...

Answer 7

I guess I would like to know what stage your mother was diagnosed in order to give you a better answer. Since I don't have that information, I can give you some statistics that I have available to me.

1. If you take skin cancer out of the equation, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women, in the US, that would be 1 in 3.
2. Age is a factor, the older you are, the greater your risk becomes for dying. This is typically due to either not being diagnosed early, or avoiding medical treatment. Younger people have a lower risk of breast cancer, so survival rates are better.
3. Caucasion women have a higher incident of breast cancer then african amerian females.
4. There is an estimate of over 220,000 females in the US getting breast cancer. Of those, 40,000 will die.
5. Currently there are over 2.3 million American Women living with breast cncer.
6. Women with carcinoma in situ, have about a 98% survival rate.
7. Women with Stage 1 and 2, have a 90% chance for cure and survival rate, if caught in these stages and proper medical attention is attained.

I would suggest that you have your mother request to have a cancer coordinator assigned to her and her case. If the hospital she is going to does not have one, then ask if they can assign someone to her case.

Also have her request that the surgeon, medical oncologist, and radiation oncologist all speak to her prior to her making her decision for treatment. Many physician do not talk to one another. It is very important to make sure that if they haven't already spoken about her case face to face, that she requests that they do so. Also have your mother ask for the physicians to write a comprehensive report and their plan of care for her.

I would also have your mother ask the physicians to inform her on the NCCN Guidelines and if they are using those as a criteria for her care. If not, tell her to go seek another opinion. The NCCN Guidelines are a set of guidelines set up on a national level. This is what is the standard of care for breast cancer patients, and what all providers should be using to base their treatments from for their patients.

If you have any other questions or concerns, you can email my friend that helped me write this: [e-mail]

Answer 8

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago. She caught it very early. She was operated on, went to radiation treatments and has been cancer free and healthy ever since!
Good Luck to Your Mom, You and Your Family!! :)

Answer 9

The cure is in the bible & has worked for thousands of cancer patients including me., especially breast cancer. Last sept. I was diagnosed with colon cancer & cancer in my blood. it was spreading fast. I used fig poltices on my stomach, pelvis & shoulder. It was stage 4. I didnt have chemo or radiation, just a lot of prayer, belief , fig poltices & some other natural cures I found on the innernet under natural cancer cures. It only costs $3.00 & takes 3 days.

Answer 10

my mum had a breast removed over 25 years ago,she is now 79 years old and very healthy
a positive attitude goes a very long way towards recovery
god speed