Mr Sutton and Cherry let me know that they found pre cancerous cells from the biopsy and it was confirmed in the images that were taken.
I was told that I have Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) - basically an early, non-invasive breast cancer. Stage 0, grade 3. Grade 3 is a fast-growing aggressive type. Stage 0 is all DCIS (very early breast cancer)
The "so what does that mean" question came up a few more times.
It meant that I had two options. That of a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. Mr Sutton laid the options out. A lumpectomy meant that I would lose my nipple and some of my breast, with some reconstruction later down the line, plus radiotherapy. A mastectomy would mean losing all of my breast and nipple, with immediate reconstruction and no radiotherapy. I asked him what his recommendation would be and he said "the least amount of surgery, the better". He wanted to give me time to think about it. I didn't want to think. I wanted to get it out of me! I was advised that they would also be removing some lymph nodes from under my arm to check if the cancer has spread. (This is called a sentinel node biopsy)
So he got his measuring tape out and examined me, working out how he would do the surgery, so make sure the lumpectomy was a definite option. It was and we booked it in for 17 June.
I went home with booklets and information leaflets on the pre-op procedures as well as the surgery itself.
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