I was 45 at diagnosis.
My mother was 47 and had secondaries in her brain. She was given 6 months to live and lasted 30 years (and didn’t die of cancer then).
GP referred me straight away.
41 - just over a year ago. What was described as “probably just a cyst” turned out to be a 6cm - grade 3 - stage 3 - Triple Negative - malignant lump.
Today is the anniversary of my very first chemo - very dramatic - but I am very pleased to be here and healthy today.
BW - Paula
- Went to docs with swollen lymph nodes in summer 09 and told not to worry.
In January 10 was diagnosed with multi-focal (nine tumours!) grade 3 HER2 pos bc, 7 nodes affected…
No family history of any cancers going back 3 generations, absolutely none of the known risk factors.
Am in the middle of having the full works, treatment-wise.
I put myself into the system at age 50 and was diagnosed with localised advanced breast cancer. Had concerns at age 46 but my GPs told me I had nothing to worry about (three visits) hence I was four years misdiagnosed. Some GPs appear to know nothing about breast cancer. They only see approximately one new case per year - as quoted to me by Breast Cancer Care, Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Macmillan. The standard of care throughout the country is NOT the same. Some women are very lucky and get referred even if they have no symptoms but are anxious, others, like myself, had thickening, swelling and lumps under one armpit and are told it is the remains of a viral infection and no referral despite asking. Something needs to but done urgently. We should be able to self-referral if we are not happy with our GP. After all, we probably know our own breasts best and no GP should be playing God with our lives.
Jeannie
Hi
I was diagnosed in June this year just before my 50th birthday but God knows how long the cancer had been there. Went to the GP on discovery of a hardish lump while in the shower. She reckoned there was nothing to worry about because of my medical history (do we detect a pattern here), most likely a fibroadenoma, but referred me to the breast clinic all the same. Just as well she did! The result was a grade 1, 37mm cancer with one node affected (had two ops, awaiting chemo to start now. Rads and tamoxifen to follow). When I told the doc about the dx she was as shocked as I was…:-0
It would seem to me, judging by the other threads, that BC is most certainly NOT the domain of older women…
Lulu
Hi
My gp was great. Saw specialist next day, operation less than a week later. I was 45 on diagnosis, found the lump myself.
Rusty
Hi - My BC was found as result of first routine mammogram at aged 50! Is that old or young? No symptoms or discernible lumps. On biopsy grade 2 12mm IDC with surrounding DCIS. I was called for routine mammogram just after I had booked to go on big trip with son to NZ & America in Jan 2010 -had to cancel and spent the time instead having repeated operations to get clear margins, until I gave up and had both breasts removed. Not the world’s most patient non-patient. V happy with outcome now & thankful that the NHS screening programme picked up something that I suspected nothing about - don’t know how long it had been there, but if left, it could have spread much further…
Cheers
Maggyx
Hi Ruby
I was 45 when diagnosed. My mother went through it in her early seventies.
Jo
xxx
I am 47 and was diagnosed inApril this year. I found a lunp while int eh shower one weekend morning but luckily I had my yearly smear on the Mondau booked (had pre-cancerous cervical cancer cells in 2001 and on ten-year annual check-up plan)so asked the Nurse to check my breast when I was there. She called my Doctor in to have a feel too and she promptly referred me to the BC centre there and then. I had an appointment the following week where I had a mammogram, ultra-sound and biopsy. I got the results the following week and the following week went in for a lumpectomy and had two lymph nodes removed. I had a 17mm tumour with a further 3mm pre-cancerous margin, but they took it out with a full clearance margin. The two nodes they removed were cancer free. I had Grade 3 and ER+ HER2- and have just had my third of 6x FEC which will be followed by 20 sessions of radiotherapy and I will start Tamoxifen at the same time.
I am so impressed with the speed everyone dealt with me, in fact my Doctor couldn’t believe that four weeks to the day she first saw me I was back in her room begging her to sign me ‘fit to return to work’ as the Doctor at the hospital had signed me off for absolutely weeks!
Karen
I am 45 and was diagnosed early July this year.
Hi Ruby and all,
I am so pleased you have posted this. I don’t believe this statistic either. All the people I have known and most friends of friends who have had BC have been under fifty.
I am 36 and was dx 2 weeks ago, no family history.There should be a consequence for GP’s who dismiss women and therefore put these at risk.
xx
I was 38 when diagnosed last February. My Friend was 40 when she was diagnosed 7 years ago. I have also met up with a lot of other younger women from Scotland through this site. Some of who haven’t posted on this thread yet.
Fee xxxx
Hi Ruby, Good evening all,
was 54 when dx, earlier scans where misread. Found lump myself.
Some health professionals have a lot to answer for.
To all of you out there - if in doubt insist on referral - go to next doc. and on and on. Till they check you properly.
Good to have you all here.
Helen
I was 41 when diagnosed in 2003. Reoccurrence in 2006 was initially diagnosed as scar tissue by incompetent trainee doctor. Now multiple secondaries.
Hi all, I’m 47 and was dx on the 3rd Aug. I have to say that my Doctor was great and referred me straight away. I had surgery on the 19th WLE and 9 nodes removed. 25mm, Grade 3 and cancer in two nodes. Waiting now for results of CT and bone scans and to see the oncologist.
Looking at the various ages, and some so very young, it does make me wonder why mamagrams start at 50! Although I heard somewhere recently (can’t remember where) that you can request one from age 47?
I was diagnosed last Monday age 43. Since that day I have spoken to family, friends and work colleagues and have been told stories of 8 women in my local area who have had bc.
I was diagnosed in May and I am 28. I was 27 when i found the lump and was told by my GP to wait for my period in case it was related - it took me another 4 weeks to make an appointment at the doctors as the lump hadnt gone. I really feel that breast cancer awareness isnt really aimed at younger people - i was totally shocked when i found out and there are not many people in the country who are diagnosed in their 20’s. To top it all my GP and the hospital were just as shocked as i was!!
I was diagnosed in September. I’m 42 and no family history
im 43 was dignosed 6 weeks ago geting full mx fri with diep reconstruction x
I was 46 when diagnosed in March this year. Bi-lateral 31mm and 3 nodes in left side 21mm and no nodes in right side. Had WLE on both sides and node clearance on left.
Sue x