Cancer Rollercoaster

After the excitement of last week, this week hasn't brought quite so much joy...

Yesterday I met with a plastic surgeon to discuss reconstruction. I will post more information on my options for reconstruction and some amusing anecdotes another time, but one interesting thing I learnt is that if I choose to have a preventative mastectomy it would actually be done at the time of the reconstruction rather than the main mastectomy and lymph node dissection, in order to preserve the skin for use in the reconstruction. I wasn't expecting that, I assumed that it would be done as a double mastectomy.

This afternoon I met with the specialist/surgeon to get feedback from the multi-displinary meeting at lunchtime where they discussed my case and potential next steps. The verdict was unanimous - mastectomy. Not really a surprise there, I expected that was the sensible approach. It will be scheduled within the next few weeks.

Anyway, onto the (potentially) bad news... Last night I felt another lump, this time in my lower neck, just above my collar bone, on the same side as the breast cancer. It is about the size of a pea (or maybe a little bigger, perhaps a wasabi pea). I mentioned this to the specialist and he had a feel and sent me immediately off for a biopsy. The lump is apparently in my lymph nodes and from conversation previously with the radiation oncologist this is where breast cancer often spreads next, after lymph nodes in the armpit (she was planning to radiate the neck lymph node area anyway because of this). I get the results of the biopsy next tuesday, but I am expecting that it will show cancer cells, given the side and location. I don't know what impact (if any) that will have on the rest of my treatment plan, I need to do some googling and see what the specialist has to say next week.