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Delayed surgeries outcome?
I had a rather large (egg sized) lump when I had mammograms over two years ago; was told it was “nothing to worry about”—until 1-1/2 years later when suit was invasive lobular cancer. That was a year ago! After initially told I would need a mastectomy, I saw an oncology surgeon who determined I could reduce the tumor and instead have a lumpectomy which I opted to do. (Note: 22+ years previously I had a lumpectomy in other breast). I was told I would take the medication 6-9 months to reduce the tumor and then have surgery. For various reasons, I decided to have a mastectomy and so I was re-scheduled —but then my arthritic knee went out on me and so that surgery suddenly took precedence. SO…I’m seeing my surgeon next week to get this now “Goldilocks mastectomy” scheduled for June. I just worry that this prolonged delay, with the ILC still in my body, could be causing irreversible damage. Has anyone else taken anastrozole for over a year before having surgery? What were your results if you don’t mind sharing. This has been very stressful for me to say the least. Thank you for sharing your experience!
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@buckokey
I understand your concern about the delay. I was in a similar situation as part of a Mayo clinical trial about 6 years ago. In my case, it was only for 6 months. I was diagnosed with breast cancer via biopsy, and a lymph node also tested positive. I met with providers at Mayo Rochester Breast Clinic. The clinical trial measured Ki-67, a protein and a crucial biomarker used in cancer diagnostics to assess how rapidly tumor cells are growing and dividing. I was on anastrozole for 6 months. The tumor was measured around 3 months, and the Ki-67 index had decreased. After 6 months, I had a lumpectomy. I was so ready to have the tumor removed.
If interested, here is a link to the clinical trial.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02206984
In your case, it sounds like taking anastrozole was a good decision due to another surgery being needed.
Have they done any additional imaging to see if the tumor has changed size?
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1 Reaction@roch Unfortunately, no results have been posted yet. Apparently, it is still going through QC control.....
Can you say if your tumor had reduced in size, or if the pathology see scaring or treatment response in the tumor from your lumpectomy?
@llthomson
I went back and looked at my notes. I kept very detailed notes during the entire process because at the time, there was so much going on.
My tumor did shrink. Initial diagnosis was 4.5 x 3.5 cm. I am guessing that was based on either an ultrasound or an MRI. The surgery notes indicate 2.3 x 1.7 x 1.2 cm. So the neoadjuvant hormonal therapy worked.
My tumor has definitely shrunk since being on anastrozole. My oncologist assures me the cancer would not spread as the med would prevent it from spreading. I’ve trusted her all throughout these past 11 months and am just tired of all these past 2-1/2 years how it was initially ignored (nothing to worry about when I could feel an egg-sized lump from day 1!). Then “you will need a mastectomy”, then “we can shrink the tumor and then have lumpectomy”, to being told if pathology needed more tissue removed “in your case it would probably be mastectomy “! Now who what do I believe
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