Diagnosed with Breast Cancer at 57 ..looking for positive storues

Hi Jurrasic, I was diagnosed with early breast cancer at age 57, 10 years ago this month. My bi-lateral mastectomy was on 7 Dec., 2011. My cancer was also discovered during screening, there was no palpable lump. Due to testing positive for the BRCA gene, my oncology surgeon recommended the total mastectomy vs a lumpectomy. I did have breast reconstruction in the following months.
My carers were also superb and I kind of leaned into them, if you know what I mean. And my DH was wonderful, so supportive and kind of took over technical stuff which I think helped him get through it too. He was almost business like in his personal care of me, keeping detailed records and charts and not getting emotional. He was still loving but with a stiff upper lip so to speak. It helped.

At the time, my two grandchildren were just one year old. Now they are 11 and five more have joined them! Time has flown by and there's been so much joy over these past 10 years!
Of course it's good to maintain a positive attitude but some days that is a bit of a challenge. That's ok. Feel what you feel. Mostly I don't think about it now but always feel anxiety at test time. I guess that's to be expected.
As GagaJo said, take it one step at a time. That is really the best advice.
The 10 year anniversary had been weighing on me lately and then I saw your post. I send you hugs and best wishes. You will do fine, one day at a time. Please keep us posted.

Here is another one, Jurrasic.

I have a friend (met her through my BC support group) whose mother died of BC. My friend discovered her lump at 37. It was a HUGE lump. Cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. She had a mastectomy straight away (I went for lumpectomy 1st). Chemo, radio, tamoxifen. She is also still here. She was diagnosed at the same time as me. 11 years.

I was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer in 2017 when I was 64. I had day surgery for a lumpectomy and two or three lymph nodes removed. Two weeks later I was told it hadn’t spread. Because of my age and the fact the tumour was less than 1 cm (?) I was put on a joint Oxford/Cambridge trial. So, no radiotherapy and no chemotherapy. I take one tablet of anastrozole a day for 5 years and will have an annual mammogram for 5 years. I also take analdronic acid weekly and have a bone density scan every other year. One thing which did cause a bit of angst was when I compiled a list of everyone in my family who’d had cancer. There were loads. I had the blood test and fortunately do not carry that particular gene. I spoke to my cousin who has 3 daughters and three granddaughters. Her mother, sister and grandmother all had cancer, but she doesn’t want to have the test.

Hi Jurassic. I was diagnosed 18 years ago, I was 54 at the time. I had a mastectomy followed by chemo and Tamoxifen. My diagnosis came as a result of screening, I had no lump and it was all a complete shock. I have been very fortunate so far and now have three yearly mammograms via the screening service. I do still worry when my mammogram is due. I got a lot of help from Breast Cancer Care (now Breast Cancer Now) and also from a local support group where I made some lovely new friends who I still see (they also have remained well thankfully, they were all picked up via routine screening too). Wishing you well with your treatment.

Yes, I have 2 friends, one who was diagnosed at age 40+ , mastectomy and implants and is still here at 85.
Another, diagnosed 35+ years ago, no mastectomy, just radiotherapy, and is still here at age 78.
Good luck

Fabulous stories ladies and just what I needed to hear THANK YOU !!!

My sister is 64. When she was 32 she had breast cancer - partial mastectomy and radiotherapy. A few years later she had another breast cancer - different type to the first one. She had mastectomy.

Age 64 she still teaches and is out on her horse every day and is fit as a flea!

Jurrasic, I had stage 3 bc 11 years ago.

I've had lumpectomy, double mastectomy, chemo, radiotherapy and a hysterectomy, all to try to keep the bu**er away. So far so good!

Let them hit it with the maximum treatment possible. I even went as far as getting a referral to the expert in my type of cancer at Guys in London, JUST to make sure every possibility had been covered.

11 years later, I've since travelled and worked in 4 different countries. Cancer gave me a new outlook on life.

Take it one step at a time. That was the BEST advice given to me, by a very wise nurse on my diagnosis day. Don't look any further ahead than that. It's a good approach.

17 years ago, my best friend had a 7 cm. lump attached to her chest wall and cancer cells had spread to lymph nodes in her underarm. Also the tumor was ER (Estrogen receptor)-positive and she had a poor prognosis. I was so amazed by her positivity and determination as she went through it all - riding her recumbent bike for miles every day, sharing her progress on a shared site for her friends, etc. She is cancer free today and a walking reminder that numbers don't determine individual outcomes.

Hello Jurrasic,
age 61 cancer diagnosis similar to yours. Lumpectomy, a month of radiotherapy and 5 years of Anastrozole. I am now 74, fit, well and no reoccurrence. I continue to have mammograms and will do so every three years. My treatment at Maidstone Hospital was excellent. So think positive, you have been diagnosed early, the outlook is good. Enjoy watching your grandchildren grow up.

I was diagnosed at age60. Just had lumpectomy and radiotherapy which has a cumulative effect of tiredness , however I carried on teaching for all bar a couple days!
Tamoxifen for 5 years and all clear now at 71. Think positive !

I was diagnosed 3 years ago. Mine had spread into the skin. I had a mastectomy then chemo and radiotherapy.
I know exactly how you are feeling.
It gets better. Yours is grade 2 which is less aggressive and small.
As your consultant says you will be fine. I wish you well x

It must be getting on for 20 years since my neighbour had breast cancer and a mastectomy, took all the recommended treatment and is still going strong. It's also several years since a friend had treatment for it and she's doing well, too.

As others say - a positive outlook is good - because the treatments and results have improved so much.

A dear girl I used to work with had bowel cancer when she was still at school. It returned when she was 21 and she recovered again. Shortly before she was getting married she was diagnosed with breast cancer but recovered again. We were all appalled when the breast cancer returned but she beat it again and a couple of years later had a gorgeous little boy. He is now six years old and she is still doing well. Marriage and a super little boy seems a pretty good news story.

I send you love and best wishes nanawind. I can image how powerful a time that yearly mammogram is bothe in terms of anxiety and reminder. I hope you have a clear result xx

This day last year I went for my routine mammogram. I received a letter 10 days later to return to clinic. Biopsies were taken and on the 7th December I was diagnosed with grade 2 cancer.
My first operation was 29th December as a day case. A week later I was told that I needed another operation as it was found in my lymph nodes.
Second operation was 26th January. They removed 30 of my nodes but it was only found in four plus of course the sentinal node.
In the April I was given a 15 day course of radiotherapy. I take one tablet a day for the next 10 years.
Next Friday I have my first mammogram after my treatment.
I did have down days but tried not to feel sorry for myself.
Lots of family and friends I could talk to.
Good luck try and be positive.

Two years ago just before lockdown my very close friend was diagnosed. It was a dreadful time and she was devistated she had three operation then a mastectomy. It was obviously agonising for her but she is doing well she works so hard looking after parents and grandchildren. I wish you well and a good recovery.

Thank you lovely ladies for your quick replies. Mine is Stage 1 grade 2 and can't be felt so if I hadn't of had my routine screening I'd be non the wiser so thank goodness for screening. At this point my consultant isn't sure whether I'll need radiotherapy or just go straight to preventative treatment but all that will be confirmed once they've biopsed the cancer pea ( that's how I think about it) and my sentinel nodes. Just had a Q&A with the 15yr grand daughter to reassure her x

My lovely sister (only sibling) was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer aged 59y. She had a mastectomy, 16 lymph glands removed from under her armpit, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, breast reconstruction (her choice). She is now 64y, happy, healthy and she retired to live in Spain 15 months ago. We keep in regular contact and I’m so very proud of her. She lost all her hair for a while. She used to have a glossy dark brown bob (think Dawn French) and wore a wig. When her hair grew back it was grey, short and wiry (think Julie Walters) but as she said “what’s hair when you’ve been given LIFE!”

I post this in the hope it gives you courage.
All the very best. x

My mother is 84, a breast cancer survivor - she was hit twice by the disease around 20 years ago. During the treatments (radiotherapy the first time, mastectomy and chemo the second) she had to learn to slow down, accept all kinds of support and enjoy all those small moments we tend to let slip past. She also was encouraged by her medical team to talk about her illness; this ensured there was no white elephant looming and both laughter and tears were forthcoming.

Oh - what an awful shock for you. My mother had a somewhat large tumour in one of her breasts at the age of 67. She was told that only the size of her breast had saved her as it contained the tumour. She had a mastectomy and radiation and lived a good life for 20 years - we realised afterwards that they had not expected her to survive. She died of heart failure.
That was in the 70s and treatment since then has become much more refined - think positive and I hope everything goes well for you - do come back and keep us posted on your progress.

I was diagnosed Jan 2009 (almost 13 years ago) at the age of 46, grade 2 also. Aggressiveness was also scale 2. At time of having tests, it seemed as if there was no spread, but by time of lumpectomy it had just begun to spread. I had 4-5 lymph/sentinel nodes removed. Because it had began to spread, I had chemo (yuck, yuck, yuck), then radiotherapy - not too bad but makes you feel very tired, then Tamoxifen. As we speak, I've haven't had a recurrence and no long-lasting effects. It sounds as though your cancer has been caught at an early stage. I wish you all the best with your treatment.

It's quite a shock isn't it? All kinds of emotions will be going on, fear, relief that they found it, worry for the unknown. Guilt as well if you are anything like me. Was there something wrong with my lifestyle, was I complacent, all kinds of illogical rubbish.
I had a lumpectomy, removal of lymph nodes, chemo, and radiotherapy 11 years ago, and I'm still here!
Quite a journey, but I learned to accept support from family and friends and I believe came out a better person in many ways.
I wish you luck on your journey, and send you a big hug to help you at the start.

Both my mother at 78 and a close friend at 39 have been treated for breast cancer in last two years and are well
Your diagnosis sounds similar to my mum she had a lumpectomy followed by 3 weeks radiotherapy and is now on a daily tablet and annual mammogram for 5 years
My friend had a larger tumour (plus maternal family history) required a mastectomy and reconstruction followed by I rounds of chemo now being followed up and on daily tammoxifen
Hope this helps ?