The name I did get is the type of cancer she has. It is called Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. You can look it up for more information but from what we are told, it's the most common type of cancer women get. The stat says 80%.
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/types/idc/
Invasive - it has spread
Ductal - started in the milk ducts
Carcinoma - cancer that begins in the skin or other tissues that cover internal organs
Today, the GS shared with her the pros and cons of the different procedures ie. lumpectomy, unilateral vs. bilateral mastectomy and learned about a new type of therapy called Neoadjuvant Therapy.
Neoadjuvant therapy aims to reduce the size or extent of the cancer before using treatment intervention, thus making procedures easier and more likely to succeed, and reducing the consequences of a more extensive treatment technique that would be required if the tumor wasn't reduced in size or extent. (got that technical definition from the internet)
It is one of the choices because the GS and the plastic surgeon have to be scheduled together and this could take weeks.
Her next appointment is Tuesday at 8am with the oncologist. Together they will discuss all the options and decide if it's best to wait a couple of weeks for the GS and plastic surgeon to get on the books together, or do the Neoadjuvant therapy where chemotherapy starts immediately and the surgery will follow a few months later.
Although it doesn't seem like a lot of news here, again, it seems like the knees stop jumping and the breathing is a little easier when we get more information. Word in Goodyear is that this appointment was a good one. Erika will report after the Tuesday appointment.
Smile everyone...have a nice weekend.
Jessie and Dr. McSteamy
