Mine all started when I felt a large lump at the end of summer, which I was unsure of as it felt part of my chest wall. There is a history in my family - My Mom died from Breast Cancer at 63 and our daughter was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer at 25 years old. I was scheduled for a Mammogram shortly after, and nothing showed up. I told the technician to feel it, and she confirmed it was a lump. Immediately, they scheduled an Ultrasound, and the doctor said it looked like a small lump, a few mm. I said that's weird because I am feeling something a lot larger. He scheduled me for an urgent biopsy. The doctor (using the UC) told me he was seeing a lump more like 1" in size and 2 lymph nodes looked suspicious. I said (2nd time) that's weird because I feel something a lot larger. The doctor asked me to show him the size with my fingers which I did about 2 1/2". Nothing was said. The pathologist's report came back and confirmed it was cancer. The Oncologist surgeon said that she recommended a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy so that I could keep the "girls" and that it was a slow-moving cancer. I had the surgery about a month ago and just met with the surgeon. It turns out, they removed 29 lymph nodes and a lump that was 3 1/2". and they were unable to get clear margins. I asked the doctor how it could be 3 1/2" and spread to 2 lymph nodes if it was slow moving. She said we think you have had it for 5-6 years. I was in such shock, the doctor said they would like to do a mastectomy ASAP and left, I just couldn't even think of what to ask next. When I got into the car, I had a major anxiety attack. I went from the doctor making it sound like it was "a walk in the park" to the possibility (I am thinking) of a double mastectomy. I called the nurse with my questions, and she apologized and said that surgery had been postponed, and they would like me to meet with the oncologist to discuss treatment first.
My concerns now are how deep the lump was, is the chest wall infected, and what the possibilities are that the cancer can travel to other breast and organs. Never once was I offered an MRI. I no longer trust the Mammogram or the Ultrasound. These tests might be able to detect the lump but not the size or the position.