Helen
I was diagnosed with breast cancer on Oct. 10th, and just had a lumpectomy and lymph nodes taken out under my arm. I never felt the lump, as it was detected by a mammogram. My mom had breast cancer when she was 33 back in 1954. I am 50, and because of the mammogram they caught it early. The cancer did not spread to my lymph glands. I am recovering from surgery right now. It's been 12 days so far. I go see an Oncologist on Friday and a Radiologist next Tuesday. I will have to have radiation for 6 weeks, and possibly take the drug Tamoxifen (an anti-cancer drug) for a few years to prevent the cancer from coming back. I don't know the effects of radiation...would like to know what I can expect...also from the Tamoxifen...is anyone out there that can answer my questions? Thank you for your time. Helen. P.S. My mom will be 80 in January...please get your mammograms early and every year like clockwork. Having a relative that has had it increases your chances of getting it, although 1 in 9 women are getting it now, and a lot of them have no family history of it at all..Play it safe, and get those mammograms. Thank you!