topic Re: Breast Cancer in Wellness

Breast Cancer

Annabellethecat66 — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 20:07:15 GMT

My oldest daughter (soon 48) just texted me she just found out my late husband's sister (her Aunt) has breast cancer. So that makes HIS mother (deceased), both of his sister's (one deceased and one dying) all have breast cancer.

Cancer (brain, breast, you name it) really runs in his family. He was totally healthy when he died (they never could find out why he just dropped dead in front of me) but he didn't have cancer.

I always impressed on them the importance of physicals (for themselves and their children). They are really good at following through.

The middle daughter (soon 46) just texted she had a mamogram at the beginning of the year.

Good grief! I've always said to my girls that from my side of the family the woman live forever (my grandmothers were almost 100 years old) and my mother was in her 80's when she died from smoking.

But their Dad's side of the family has had so many health problems it's crazy!

This is why it's important for each person to know their family history.

Re: Breast Cancer

vermint — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 20:21:42 GMT

@Annabellethecat66 My family (mom's side or dad's side) had NO history of cancer...until my maternal grandfather was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 80, which killed him 3 years later. Then my paternal grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer at 83. Surgery took care of it, she lived to be 90. My dad was diagnosed with it at 73, again surgery took care of it...he's still going strong at 86. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer the same year, mastectomy, chemo, radiation got it, and she lived for 3 more years...died at 76, unrelated to cancer.

I had endometrial cancer 5 years ago...caught very early, surgery got it all. I had a colonoscopy last week (my 2nd one) and they removed polyps that were determined to be pre-cancerous--so back for another one in 3 years instead of 10. I get mammograms every year (shamefully, I neglected them for a lot of years, I was fortunate that nothing developed in that time).

My point is...we have to get the recommended screenings, and do it regularly. So many cancers can be cured if found early! Family history does up the risk factor, but like I said, we had NO history of cancer until about 25 years ago. And I have a large family on both sides.

Re: Breast Cancer

Annabellethecat66 — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 20:33:57 GMT

@vermint I wasn't saying I don't get checkup's regularly, I was saying there were no diagnosis' of cancer in my family.

I have two sisters who are RN's, and now 3 nieces who are RN's. You can believe we are all aware of the importance of regular checkups.

Re: Breast Cancer

Carmie — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 20:37:07 GMT

Cancer seems to run in my father's side of the family. There were 11 children and most of them, including my father had some kind of cancer. Four aunts had breast cancer.

My two brothers were diagnosed with cancer, one died from cancer at age 51 and the other one was diagnosed last year in a very early stage. He had surgery....no radiation or chemo needed.

i have over 100 first cousins on my fathers side of the family. Only one has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her mother died from breast cancer while she was in her 30's. The type of cancer her daughter, my cousin has, is not caused by heredity.

Almost every family on the street I grew up on as a child has lost at least one son to cancer..including my family. Not many females were affected, but the males were. I grew up in the house where my father and his siblings were born and grew up. I suspect their cancer had to do with all the chemicals we were exposed to everyday.

The small town where I grew up has many industries. The air was always polluted and our floors were always dirty no matter how many times you cleaned them. I would notice sparkles of glittery dust on the furniture and floating in the air. I remember all the ladies in the neighborhood grabbing the clean laundry off of the clothes lines when a black cloud of smoke was released.

it is best for everyone to be checked for cancer if we notice anything suspicious or strange. We also need to be aware of our environment and what we consume. Almost everything today has harmful chemicals in it...from toilet tissue to hair dye.

Some cancers are passed down, but I think most are caused by chemicals in our environment. We can't be too careful.

i try to avoid using cosmetics and soaps that are not necessary and I am careful what type of meds I take and what I eat. many drugs cause liver cancer and they are on drug store shelves being taken by the public with no or little warnings.

I had a breast biopsy last week. It was scary, but no cancer was found. next week, I am scheduled for a breast MRI as a precaution.

So far so good. I pray a lot too. It can't hurt.

Re: Breast Cancer

vermint — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 20:37:55 GMT

I didn't take it that way at all, @Annabellethecat66! Just chiming in with my own story, and hoping others will take heed. From other posts I've read of yours, I think you take good care of yourself.

Re: Breast Cancer

Annabellethecat66 — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 20:44:28 GMT

@vermint I understand. I didn't take it any way but to understand what you were saying was coming from your heart. When words come from the heart, they always come from a good place. It's all good.

Re: Breast Cancer

SeaMaiden — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 21:04:03 GMT

Cancer is not just genetics..not just family history. Sure, family history can play a role in your health....BUT.....

our environment, diet and lifestyle plays a HUGE role in cancers.

Look at at your diet....look at your lifestyle....these are things you DO HAVE CONTROL OVER!

So so many people do no prevention measures.....because most of them ARE NO FUN TO DO or to incorporate into our lives. So, they just blame cancer on genetics or say. "cancer runs in my family"....cop out....

I personally am all about prevention in how I live my life. It is worth it to me. I see so many people who do not live their lives as though they care about their health. It is rather all about pleasure..... Sad.

In life there is no guarantee.....but I chose to be in the drivers seat as much as I possibly can.

Re: Breast Cancer

wagirl — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 21:20:43 GMT

They are no logical reasons for someone to get cancer---I was dx in 2012 with breast cancer. No one in my family had it before me. I didn't ever smoke or drink; I managed my weight and ate healthy as well as kept moving. But there you go!!! Now my DD has to be vigilent at age 35 and will get her first mammo this year. I am very sorry about your SIL. Hopefully she caught it early and can work toward a good outcome.

Re: Breast Cancer

chrystaltree — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 22:52:40 GMT

I don't believe that fact that there's no history of cancer (that you know of) in your means anything at all. You shouldn't take any consolation in that. Also you have no way of knowing if any of the cancer on your ex husband's side is genetic. It's something that your daughters should advise their physicians of.

Re: Breast Cancer

software — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 00:36:22 GMT

I grew up in the northeast, the very polluted northeast in the 1960s.

The air & water were polluted. The Waterman-Bic factory was up river from the town where I grew up, all their waste water went into the Housatonic River, you could smell it.

Bic pens killed the river, but the area has been cleaned up now.

Both my parents died of cancer, I'm an only child.

I have so many other diagnoses that will probably get me before cancer has the chance.

I do believe environment plays a role.

Re: Breast Cancer

Tyak — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 01:33:51 GMT

OP,

85% of women diagnosed with BC have no family history of it, so your side of the family with no history of it has no bearing on whether your descendants will have it or not. I was the first in my family to have it.

Re: Breast Cancer

maestra — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 11:59:38 GMT

@Tyak wrote:
OP,
85% of women diagnosed with BC have no family history of it, so your side of the family with no history of it has no bearing on whether your descendants will have it or not. I was the first in my family to have it.

so was I.

Re: Breast Cancer

151949 — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 12:59:57 GMT

It seems your daughter may want to speak to her doctor about DNA testing to see if she has a genetic predisposition to breast & ovarian cancer - the same gene predisposes you to both.

I found a lump in my breast when I was only 34 & I do have the gene - unfortunately. Every female in my Mom's family (except my mom who died in a car accident) died from either breast or ovarian cancer. When I had my hysterectomy I asked the doctor to remove my ovaries as well. He took out one but said he couldn't find the other one. I don't worry as much about the breast cancer as the ovarian because with yearly mammograms they can find the breast cancers so early now a days.

Re: Breast Cancer

reiki604 — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 13:26:49 GMT

Although there is no real scientific evidence of this and it annoys my surgeon when I say it, I believe that breast cancer has become more of a chronic disease. I had DCIS 8 1/2 years ago, had a lumpectomy and radiation as well as 5 years on Tamoxifen. Followed all instructions and had a yearly mammo and MRI so I had imaging at 6 month intervals. At my last MRI they found a ver small mass in the same breast that was cancerous again. I needed a mastectomy which I had 4 weeks ago today and working on the reconstruction. The mastectomy was needed because another lumpectomy could not be done due to the radiation I had. Cannot have radiation on same breast and chemo not required. Pill( Femara) only treatment. Same for reconstruction. The skin is not as pliable so we are not sure how much volume we can get.

I know about 20-30 woman who have also had breast cancer and followed all instructions given to them as far as treatment (radiation, mastectomy, chemo, oral meds) and lifestyle. All but one has had a recurrance so far.The time frame of recurrances has varied from 15 years to 2.

It is something us survivors have to deal with. As my oncologist just said: It's not going to kill you, you just need to monitor yourself and maintain treatment. Genetic testing is a tool but not a definative predictor of the the disease. I treat it just as treat my hypertension. It's something I have to deal with and control but will not allow it to rule or define my life.

What I am trying to say is that Breast Cancer is not a death sentence. If anything it makes me appreciate what I have and has encouraged me to grab life by the b**ls and squeeze every bit of excitement, adventure, happiness and contentment and serenity from it.

Re: Breast Cancer

wagirl — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 13:57:36 GMT

reiki604---first off--congrats on being mindful and then re- active to what your body is telling you and I thank god every day for our oncologists and the team that has become OUR team thru all this!!!! I totally agree with everything you posted.I am 6 years out of treatment for lobular breast cancer, stage 3 and doing very well. I opted for mastectomy , the chemo , then rads and now on my 6 th year of tamoxifin. I however, decided to have my remaining breast removed in 2016 and am not doing the recon. I am happily flat chested !!! the key is to be aware of your body and then take care of it immediatley. Just got the ok for yearly appts with my onc dr---was going every 6 months---also--no mammos anymore for me----- Hope your recovery is going well and all the best to you!!!

Re: Breast Cancer

reiki604 — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 15:01:53 GMT

@wagirl wrote:
reiki604---first off--congrats on being mindful and then re- active to what your body is telling you and I thank god every day for our oncologists and the team that has become OUR team thru all this!!!! I totally agree with everything you posted.I am 6 years out of treatment for lobular breast cancer, stage 3 and doing very well. I opted for mastectomy , the chemo , then rads and now on my 6 th year of tamoxifin. I however, decided to have my remaining breast removed in 2016 and am not doing the recon. I am happily flat chested !!! the key is to be aware of your body and then take care of it immediatley. Just got the ok for yearly appts with my onc dr---was going every 6 months---also--no mammos anymore for me----- Hope your recovery is going well and all the best to you!!!

@wagirl thank you so much. I followed your story since its beginning. I stayed silent but admired your attitude and honesty on your treatment and recovery. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. We, as so many others, are sisters on this journey.

Re: Breast Cancer

Tyak — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 17:46:51 GMT

@maestra wrote:
@Tyak wrote:
OP,
85% of women diagnosed with BC have no family history of it, so your side of the family with no history of it has no bearing on whether your descendants will have it or not. I was the first in my family to have it.
so was I.

I hope that no one who's had it ever has to face another go-round with the beast. I'm almost 11 years out and at my yearly exam, I always cross my fingers and say a prayer that I'm clear.

Re: Breast Cancer

HerRoyaLioness — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 20:37:38 GMT

@maestra wrote:
@Tyak wrote:
OP,
85% of women diagnosed with BC have no family history of it, so your side of the family with no history of it has no bearing on whether your descendants will have it or not. I was the first in my family to have it.
so was I.

So were my sister and I. We both got it at the same age, 65! No family history of it on either side as far back as we could go. My genetic counselor said my daughter has no greater risk than normal. Mostly environental and other factors. My insurance wouldn't pay for the genetic testing because there was no indication to do it.

However, I think it's a greater risk to get it now than it ever was before. And it seems to be showing up younger.

Re: Breast Cancer

Tissyanne — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 00:45:16 GMT

@wagirl wrote:
They are no logical reasons for someone to get cancer---I was dx in 2012 with breast cancer. No one in my family had it before me. I didn't ever smoke or drink; I managed my weight and ate healthy as well as kept moving. But there you go!!! Now my DD has to be vigilent at age 35 and will get her first mammo this year. I am very sorry about your SIL. Hopefully she caught it early and can work toward a good outcome.

@wagirl, My Mom passed away in June of this year from lobular breast cancer. She lived 11 months after diagnosis. She was 84, had never smoked, or drank, watched her weight, and ate a healthy diet. The cancer she had was very brutal, and fast moving.

Re: Breast Cancer

wagirl — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 02:13:20 GMT

tissyanne—- so very sorry to hear that. I feel very grateful but it is very painful to hear. Any cancer is brutal. My sympathies to you.