TNBC in left breast .... Oestrogen fed in right breast!!

I had my PICC line inserted yesterday ... Ready for chemotherapy to begin today .... But a phone call yesterday lunchtime changed all that ....

Breaking news of Oestrogen fed breast cancer found in my right breast now ... Chemo postponed until more biopsies done ....

I have only ever been a 32a cup .. but even my Oncologist admitted upon examination it's very hard to see or feel anything is wrong!

I AM NOW TOTALLY PANIC stricken ... The waiting game again!!

Has anyone ever heard of having two different breast cancers at the same time?

It’s so worrying I know at the beginning and fear of the unknown. I also had TNBC in left breast and oestrogen fed BC in right breast diagnosed end of last June. I had double mastectomy with immediate implants in August and started chemo in October. I have now completed this journey and awaiting bone fusions and ovaries and tubes to be removed. I won’t lie, it can feel gruelling at times but is very doable and I’m now feeling great as pre cancer I feel since the past few weeks. I had no sickness or nausea throughout but taste did change and I struggled to eat many foods I previously enjoyed. It still isn’t quite back now and cannot drink tea or coffee at all and struggle with any hot foods or meals and prefer cold foods. The effects of chemo are different for every single person and no one reacts the same so don’t be scared by reading about those who become very ill. That’s their journey not yours! Don’t google information as it can be really scary and lots of info is outdated. 

You will get through this as it does become the norm once you start treatment. I was very upset with thought of losing my hair but got used to it and have an array of wigs to help me deal with it. I did ice my hands and feet through each session of chemo and have no neuropathy so hopefully that trick really helped. I also painted my toes nails and finger nails with black polish (not gel polish) to prevent my fingernails becoming damaged by UV rays ( I’ve read chemo causes sensitivity to uv rays and can result in loss of nails) polish helps to block uv rays and darker the colour the better. I never had nail issues so hopefully this trick worked for me too. If you have any queries I’m happy to answer anything I can. Best of luck on your journey.. you can do this as your stronger than you think honestly!

Yes I had the same and felt lump in left breast which was TN and the mammogram also identified another small lump in right breast which turned out to be oestrogen fed cancer which was a bit of a shock tbh. 

Thank you for reaching out ...

Please may I ask...

When did your journey begin? 

What treatment path were you put on? ... after your diagnosis of both types.

How are you feeling now?

I was diagnosed June 26th 2023. Found out same day through attending the breast cancer centre following mammogram that I cancer in either breast and undertook biopsies same day.  Of course this was a shock and was very scary as initially I thought it had spread but surgeon confirmed it was just cancer that had mutated within each breast the same time. I underwent senetal node biopsies on July 10th that confirmed no nodes appeared affected by cancer and following this I had double mastectomy with immediate implants on 1st August. Following this I underwent 6 months of chemo commencing October until March 2024. I still felt unwell for weeks after chemo had consisted and was disappointmented  as that final date counting down led me to believe I would be feeling myself again. Unfortunately it took 5 weeks later to feel more myself and now I feel great and post cancer again. I’ve queried with oncologist about increased chances of reoccurrence with having two types of cancer the same time but he reports there is no evidence to suggest we are at higher risk hitch is comforting. I had a gene test and was found to have Rad51C which is an inherited gene that puts me in a moderately higher risk bracket for breast and ovarian cancer in the future, so it was recommended to have my ovaries and tubes removed which I am awaiting to proceed with. I  am also awaiting a bone infusions over next 3 years ( infusion every 6 months ) to help avoid cancer reoccurring in my bones and to avoid osteoporosis due to lack of oestrogen once ovaries removed plus HER positive cancer in right breast can’t reoccurring without oestrogen being produced. as for  TN there is a chance of reoccurrence and I have to live with that risk unfortunately.  At the beginning I was devastated didn’t sleep eat and cried a lot ..once I had my treatment plan it stopped fear of the unknown and I just got on with it as had dates to count down which gave me focus. I was petrified of having chemo but was surprised once I started it as wasn’t what I thought I would feel like. Some weeks were better than others but fortunately had very few bad weeks mostly tiredness, breathlessness on exertion and I slept during there day which I never did before. It was very doable. I painted my finger nails black to prevent uv affecting my nail ned and losing nails and I also iced hands and feet during each chemo session to avoid neuropathy which both tricks seemed to work for me thankfully. 

Thank you for that ...

Reminds me .... At 19 years old I had an ovary and cyst removed ... Large.

A couple of months ago my 38 year old daughter had the same removed 

Back in the day, my operation was intense with a bikini cut and 11 metals clamps over the wound instead of stitches..... Nowadays, it's keyhole surgery and a couple of stitches.

I have passed on the Rad51C to my daughter's as I would like them to be gene tested BRAC1 and  BRAC2 I think has been mentioned.