Looking for Advice - Waiting on results MRI. etc.

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Hi, I am a male and worried about my partner. I must say the support you give each other on this forum is marvellous, you shoudl all be proud of yourselves.

My partner is 57, she had stage 2, 2cm behing the nipple, ER+, mastectomy/reconstruction back in 2003, 11 lymphs, trace in 1. This was followed by a a period of chemotherapy ansd tamoxifen until earlier this year. And that is the limit of my knowledge !

Two weeks ago she had a MRI and they are concerned that an area showed there ‘may be a spread’ at the back/base of the neck, this has now been followed by CT of Thoracic and Abdomen, plus full body bone scan and now we wait until next Wednesday.

Is MRI conclusive or can the results be questionable ? How would you want a man to be alongside you when the results are in, I just want to make sure I don;t let her down, I am still positive but need to make sure I do what is right. Tony.

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Sorry cant give any advice on the mri scan. Im a single mum and went on my own for my mammogram and biopsy results,but i wish that i had someone with me when told i had breast cancer. Ask her if she wants you to go with her im sure she will.Good luck hope everything goes ok next week do let us know how every thing goes.

julie xx

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Tony

Because I had lobular bc, they sent me for an MRI scan and said they had found a further lesion which they thought was 90% likely to be cancerous as well. I chose to have it biopsied, and it turned out not to be. So, no, the MRI is not the definitive answer, just one of the tools in giving the whole picture.

I went to my appointments on my own. I prefer that, but you really need to ask your partner, as everyone is different. If she does want you there, you can make sure you ask the questions she doesn’t think of.

Good luck!

Ann

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Ann/Julie,

Thank-You for your kind words and the quick response. I will certainly let you know how Vicki gets on. Thanks again.

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Hi
Having my husband with me when I got my initial results was hugely comforting, however we were both devastated to learn that my bc had spread. This was especially true as I had no inkling that spread had happened. The fact that some areas of concern have already showed up may enable you to brace yourselves if the bc has in fact spread. We were obviously very upset with the news however by understanding more about secondary bc from these forums in particular has really helped us. I have come to understand that although secondary bc is incurable it is treatable - as many ladies on here prove. Therefore even if you do get the bad news that her bc has spread there are many options available to treat it and keep things stable. I am 18 months post diagnosis and living my life exactly as I was before my diagnosis and hope to do so for as long as possible.
Nicky

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Hi, just thought I would update you from our visit to Christies, busy day, long wait but I am sure many of you have done that !

Now, where do I start, the Doctor was very nice chap from possibly the middle east, but not the oncologist, I think he was on 6 month assignment and he did not appear to be complete well briefed on Vickis case and was very quiet and pensive, whilst I was thinking, ‘bloody well get on with it man’. Having said that, he seemed a good guy.

So, not the news we wanted to hear, BUT, the T3 and into T4 region showed evidence of MEtastisised cells, it was the clinical diagnosis from output from MRI, CT and NM bone full body. One ‘benign’ cysts and a nodule near the implant, which they will probably monitor (I know it sounds vague but I don;t want to labour these unnecessarily).

I suppose one always thinks, how do they know 100% if Mets are in the vertebrae without biopsy, but I guess that is the way I protect the emotional pressure.

They stressed that Vicki is Asymptomatic and she will start immediately on ZOMETA infusion once a month + daily letrozole +Calcium/vitamin D.

Feel exhausted now from the two weeks of worry, I just seemed to kick in on energy with the doctor and fired questions at him, then again I am not the patient. Vicki coped very well, I was proud of her, but I don;t think it has sunk in yet.

I feel a little bit cheekly posting this when so many of you are suffering more but it is just an update. Take Care of yourselves Thank-You.

Tony.

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Tony

Thanks for the update. We are happy to hear your news - whatever it is. Everyone here supports everyone else, through the good and bad times.

I am sorry the news was not what you wanted to hear, but as you say, Vicki doesn’t have symptoms and with immediate treatment, hopefully they can keep it that way.

Best of luck to you both.

Ann x