Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Molster / cathy59 thank you so much for your comments. I am coming up to the second year of my diagnosis and getting a little scared and still tend to rant. I feel that if there was a prize for bitterness anger and hatered I would win it hands down. My wish is that one day women will no longer die of breast cancer and that if will blasted out of the atmosphere for good. love to you all. ... View more

I read this so many times that women with breast cancer feel guilty, but please please do not feel guilty. My life is falling apart with the diagnosis of breast cancer but I do not feel guility. I feel bitter and angry but never guility. Remember you have been dealt a cruel blow, do not beat yourself up, you have been through enough. ... View more

I cannot find the words to express my feelings towards my diagnosis of breast cancer. I know I should not be on this particular site as I have primary breast cancer but more than likely will reach the final stage at some point. Why have we got breast cancer? Why can they not cure it? why is there not a dignified way out? Two years into my diagnosis and I still feel so bitter so angry.. ... View more

When I had my breast tumour removed I asked the surgen what were the results, she said it was not possible to tell until they had conducted a full histology on the tumour which takes into account the type of bc, the stage; the grade and whether or not there had been node involvment etc., the full results are not usually known until approx 7 to 10 days after surgery. ... View more

hi all I was diagnosed almost two years ago with tnbc. lump less than 1cm with no node or vascular invasion. I was 55 when first diagnosed and was only offered rads after wle. I was told that this was a good prognosis and that chemo would be too drastic a treatment for my particular circumstances. However I have learnt so many horid things about tnbc such as it has a high relapse rate within the first two years, I am dreading the months that lay ahead especially as I was not treated with chemo. It also makes me so angry when I hear stories of healthy eating etc., of course a healthy diet is good, but it should never be deemed as something that can prevent cancer. My father drank smoked and did very little exercise and died peacefully in his sleep aged 73. On the other hand my uncle who was very fit for his age did not smoke or drink and excersised regulary, he died a very painful death from prostate cancer. Just goes to show there is no direct link between life-style and cancer, there is howerver an abundance of evidence to link life-style and heart disease. While the medical profession makes great strides in combating heart disease, cancer still baffles them. Imagine a world without cancer. ... View more

I recently attended a conference in London called "Breast Screening in Perspective" where Prof. Michael Baum gave his views on the use of mammogrammes. Regardless of whatever age a mammogramme is offered to a woman he believes it would not save here life if she had a breast cancer. Although he is not an advocate of mammos, he certainly did challenge my views on their use. However, in the absence of a cure for breast cancer mammogrammes are the only tool we have to detect this disease early. When I say early, I mean DCIS stage 0. My bc when detected on self examination was stage 1 less than one centimetre with no node involvement, but nevertheless the lump was still invasive. I felt let down by the NHS Breast Screening Programme and let my views known to Prof. Baum. My breast cancer developed between the three year screening period and is known as an 'interval' cancer. If the mammogrammes used in the mobile units would have been digital instead of the old fashioned film, then my cancer may have been picked up at the DCIS stage which is almost 100% curable. I would advise all women to have a mammo every year if they can afford it, or better still, have an MRI.. Do not rely on the NHS service as it will continue to let us down. ... View more

I always loved the film Georgie Girl and was very sadened to her of Lynn's death. I cannot see the link between being overweight and developing breast cancer. When I was being treated for bc in Sept 08 I noticed that not one of the women who attended the radiotherpay clinic over an 8 week period were overweight, If anything they were all very slim. I can think of at least 10 celebs who have developed bc and are not oveerweight. ... View more

hi tina On the news this eveing it said that martina natratalova had breast cancer which was picked up early on a routine mammogramme. On the AOL news it stated that this was dcis a pre-cancer which is not invasive breast cancer and to my knowledge is curable. Although she is over fifty she will have access to regular screening as part of her private health care plan. The British NHS screening is 3 yearly for women over fifty and the machines used will also be digital and not the old type which they are still using in the NHS mobile units. Two totally different worlds. ... View more

So sad to hear of yet another death to this dreadful disease. It is now 2010,35 women die each day 12,000 each year of this disease yet still no sign of a cure. ... View more

I do not think selfishness comes into the decision of whether or not to have chemo afterall it is a toxic substance which eventually fails. At present I have no evidence of secondaries but dread the day I am diagnosed. However, I feel very certain that I will not accept chemo if it is offered. I would like to remain resalute in my end of life plan. I do not wish to go into detail about this but have all the support from my family. I do not wish cancer to end my life and I would like to think I had some control over this. I think we have the human right to decide how we end our life. To live with dignity and to die with dignity. ... View more

yes your right, the death with dignity belongs to the end of life. I will remeber that in future. ... View more

I fully understand that there have been some developments in breast cancer treatment, and a lot more money invested into care, hence this site, but sadly 1,000 women per month will die of this disease. Even if diagnosed early, this disease nearly always develops into secondary stage. Perhpas what I am trying to say that 50 years on women are still dying of this disease yet some people think that it is curable. If this is the case then I cannot see how we can keep this debate on the public agenda. If bc cannot be cured then there should be more research into testing for this disease before it develops in the first place. Sometimes I feel so powerless and have no control over what the future holds. As Jane mentioned in one of her postings back in March this year, there should be something available in the UK were assisted death can be legally carried out. I have already explored this route and it does give some sort of comfort, a feeling of some control. Death with dignity. ... View more

I think I am in shock still about jane, she was ineed a strong voice on this subject. There are so many things rushing through my mind at the moment. We all have dark thoughts I know, I am triple neg and am coming into the second year since diagnoses. Dreading the thought of it reoccuring. I am sorry for what must have sounded an ill though out rant. They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing and in the case of bc this certainly seems to be so where jo/jane (certainly not our Jane)public is concerned. Most people i know still think you can cure bc these days. There should be more done about raising the awareness of bc and as jane said it kills 12,000 a year. So yes I do see the value in prolonging life but its been over 50 years since anything has moved on in treating this disease. We need to make sure that the real affects of bc has a high profile and only quality researched information is the key to moving anything forward. ... View more

I was deeply moved to hear of Jane's death. I have read with great interest most of her postings on this site. Confinced am I that no amount of pink fluffiness will do any good in bringing this dreadful disease to an end. It will of course maintain certain intersts ie. drug companies and a whole raft of well meaning surgens oncologists and breast care people, it will keep them in a job. With this in mind, I have tried to educate people who are close to me not to contribute to any charity involving breast cancer or any other kind of cancer for that matter. I think somebody had previously mentioned where priorities lie when it comes to funding from governments. War is given the utmost priority. There is no political will to find a cure for cancer, why should there be, after all treating it keeps certain industries and people in jobs. ... View more

Hi I a coming up to 18 months after treatment for tnbc and I am getting scared. I had 7.5mm (< 1cm lump)stage 1 grade 2. node negative vascular negative. WLE and rads, no chemo. I was constantly being reassured by my breast team that my bc was a very early bc and that I had a good prognosis, they advised that chemo would be overtreatment at this stage. I based my decision on their advice and experience. The triple negative side of things did not appear to concern them. However, I know so much more about tnbc now and it scares me. I feel as though I am a time bomb ready to go off. I would seriously consider chemo if it reduced the risk of this terrible disease returning. ... View more

Hi I too was diagnosed with tnbc in August 08 aged 55yrs. 7.5mm tumour (less than 1cm) no spread to nodes or vascular system. I had wide local exision and rads. Onc advised that with this treatment I had an 89% chance of surviving 10 years, if I had chemo as well it would have increased 2% to 91%. I decided that there was not enough percentage increase to go for chemo, also being vain I did not want to lose my hair. The choice is yours, but I think we are all aware that the reoccurance rate for tnbc is very high. ... View more

I was never offered chemo. Diag Aug 08 tnbc 7.5mm less than one centimetre no spread. Sounds good on the surface, but I have learned that no evidence of spread does not mean it has not, also what is this tosh about diagnosing bc early has a better outcome. I have now lived with this disease for the past 13 months and not a day goes by without thinking when it will return. I have talked long and hard with my family and the one thing I am sure of is that I will not be accepting chemo if this b....tard of a disease returns. I know this sounds cinical but for the past 40 years I do not think we have saved any lives, just prolonged them. But one thing that is apparant is that the breast cancer industry along with the drug companies just get richer. There does not appear to be the political will to cure this disease, and when you think of it, why should there be when there is a whole industry to support by not finding a cure. Sorry about the rant, I blame returning to college as a mature student. It has made me so aware of my social and economic environment and where the priorities lay etc., ... View more

Thankyou so much for a considered response, I do hope my remarks did not come accross as a rant. As you say it is important that people are well informed of this disease and that the right information is out there. I understand that the NHS are in the process of reprinting the information on breast screaning. It will be interesting to see what comes out of this. Hope your wife is well and responding to treatment. Take care. ... View more