Checklists/Questions

When I was told to return for a second mammogram and ultrasound, I wasn't prepared for what was in store. Let alone the following week and half leading up to the biopsy. I was in the phase of thinking, it could still be benign despite the doctor telling me she didn't like what she saw and that I needed to take it seriously. So, based on my experiences and information I have come across, I decided I wanted to put information together to consider when making truly difficult decisions. 

1. Biopsy - If you are told that you should have anything biopsied, you should consider whether it is worth going straight to surgery and having it removed instead. There is some controversy over this and I would encourage you to do your own research into this, but I do think this topic is something people should be aware of. There is concern that when you biopsy a malignant tumor there is risk of spreading cancer cells and causing inflammation. 

2. Cancer Team - Once you are diagnosed you will have a team of doctors assigned to you consisting of a surgeon, oncologist, geneticist, and radiology oncologist. 

   • Research your doctors - I remember my primary care physician (PCP) calling me the day after my biopsy (yes my results were quick!) to inform me it was malignant breast cancer. She asked me if I had any preferences for a surgeon? I had no idea, I had not looked up any surgeons or asked any friends up to that point, because it hadn't even crossed my mind. I told her I had no idea and she said she would put a referral in, but if I found a doctor I would prefer, to let her know and she would place a new referral. I did some research, consulted with some friends, and did just that. The point here is, do your research, especially with a surgeon. 

   • Be your own advocate - Call and make sure your referrals are being processed/received. Be proactive about scheduling appointments.

   • Set up an appointment with your oncologist early on - My PCP also put in a referral for an oncologist. Soon after I received a call from the oncology office and the receptionist asked me if I wanted to make an appointment. I said sure, I mean I had never had cancer before, so it seemed like a good idea. Then the receptionist said, "well we don't typically see cancer patients until after they've had surgery. Do you still want to make an appointment?". I had no clue. I didn't know what I didn't know. I told them I would think about it and call them back. I called a friend (Ali Murphy) who had been battling stage 4 breast cancer over the past eight years and she quickly told me to make the appointment asap. I am so glad I did not wait and met with the oncologist. When you are initially diagnosed you have so many questions. When I met with the oncologist, we went over my diagnosis and what I could expect in the weeks and months to come. They also offered other resources like therapy, community, and life planning.

3. Lumpectomy vs Mastectomy - This is a difficult choice to make. When I was diagnosed the first thought that came to mind was that I was going to get a double mastectomy and remove as much of a chance of risk of reoccurrence. After much discussion with my cancer team and research, I decided to do the lumpectomy with localized radiation (you can read my personal story here for more details). This is something you will need to decide based on the stage, conditions of your diagnoses, and treatment strategies you choose.

   • Here is a list of items to consider if you get a mastectomy. 

   • List for lumpectomy.