Mucinous Breast Cancer

Hello,  I’m new to the community and wanted to introduce myself.  I’m 72 years old, very active hiker and dancer.  My cancer was discovered during a routine mammogram screening about a month ago.  From that screening I was scheduled for a diagnostic screening and ultrasound, and from there was scheduled for a needle core biopsy.  The end result is that I was diagnosed with mucinous breast cancer at 2:00 in my right breast, about 2.8 cm.  I then met with my cancer team including a medical oncologist, radiologist and surgeon.  The first treatment was a lumpectomy and a sentimental lymph node biopsy that took place last Tuesday.  I’ve been resting and recovering at home, and although the first two or three days were uncomfortable with some pain, today I’m feeling more “normal”.  My post op with the surgeon is this Wednesday and I hope I find out the pathology results from the surgery then.  Of course, I’m hoping that she got clear margins and there is no spread to my lymph nodes!  Since I had a lot of time on my hands the last few days I have been researching mucinous cancer of the breast to learn more about it.  I discovered it is a rare form of breast cancer that typically occurs in post menopausal women over the age of 62, that it has a good prognosis, and that typically less than 2% of the population get this kind of cancer.  Since it is so rare, there have been few studies done on the treatment of this cancer and typically the cancer team follows the protocol of more common types of breast cancer.  This includes staging based on the size of the tumor, grade of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.  Although this kind of cancer can spread and metasize it does not typically do that if caught early, and it typically does not reoccur.  (From what I understand from my research). With this in mind, if my surgeon got clear margins and there is no lymph node involvement, I am considering not taking any more treatment.  What has been suggested to me is a limited course of radiation with a follow up with 5 years of hormone therapy as my cancer is estrogen and progestin receptive.

This is the standard of treatment for other types of breast cancer, but after reading the few studies that have been done on mucinous breast cancer, this may be over treatment for my type of cancer.  I’m concerned about the side effects of the hormone treatment because I am 72, and so far have no other health problems.  The side effects can include high cholesterol, blood pressure, osteoporosis (which can occur within 6-12 months) with subsequent bone fractures, liver disease, severe muscle and joint paint, increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Has anyone else had this kind of cancer, and what type of treatment did you get?  Did it cause any other health problems?  I know this is a long post, and I apologize.  I just want to make the best decision I can for treatment of my particular kind of cancer.  

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