and then there was this tumor...

A while back I found a lump in my breast. Checked it every day a couple of times a day...yep it was still there. So I had a mammogram and then a sonogram. The doctor said that from the sonogram it didn't look exactly like cancer and yet it didn't look exactly like a simple fibroadenoma. In fact, the doctor told me she really didn't know what it was as she had never seen anything like it before. Interesting. I like being unique.

Monday I had a biopsy and received the results today. I have a benign Phyllodes tumor. A Phyllodes tumor is a fast-growing rare form (less than 1%--no wonder the doctor has not seen one before) of breast cancer. It is considered a form of breast cancer because it can change from a benign tumor to a malignant one in a snap. As it is very fast-growing, the doctor will take into consideration the rate of cell building, the history of my family, and other things before he decides what is best for my treatment. This tumor does not respond to chemo nor radiation; the only treatment is to remove it. There are two possibilities for removal: if it is "small" it will be a lumpectomy. If it is "large" it will be a mastectomy. I have no idea what measures make it "small" or "large." Mine is currently the size of a golf ball or a bit larger.

Since it is benign, I am thinking the doctor will allow us to wait until classes are over before it is removed--that is about three weeks. It won't grow that much larger in a few weeks (although it wasn't there three months ago and now it is larger than a golf ball! Softball anyone? :) )

So it's kinda cool. I have this anomaly that isn't life threatening at this time! If you are going to have something it don't get much better than that.
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