Papillary Carcinoma - breast

FormerMember over 4 years ago

3 replies
478 subscribers
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Hello everyone!

I'm Gemma - 38 years old. I found a large lump in my right breast a couple of months ago. After ultrasound, mammograms, fine needle aspiration and a bunch of core biopsies - I've been advised I have a papillary carcinoma. Apparently very rare, and more so due to my age. I'm now waiting for my operation (wide local excision) to remove the mass. I've been told that following this, the mass will be tested and I will likely need radiotheraphy, and may need lymph node biopsies. Then who knows after that...

I found the experienced really confusing - I don't hear very well, and the wearing of masks for Covid made it hard to understand what I was being told during my last consultation. I called the Breast CNS the day after and got some clarity, but I am still a little confused!

I think that the doctor said my Papillary Carcinoma is cancer, but that it's kind of like pre-cancer. From further reading - I think he meant that currently it doesn't show signs that it is invasive. That they will know that after the pathology comes back after the operation. I know there are a lot of unknowns, but I just kind of want to know for my own sanity - do I have cancer? I think the answer is yes - but we've caught it early.

It just makes it hard to know what to accept as my reality, what to tell my loved ones and what is realistic in terms of expectations.

Any one else found themselves in this confusing scenario?

Gem x

GodWilling over 4 years ago

Hi gemSpoon, so sorry you find yourself needing to be on this site but it is great that you have found it as it is a great source of information and comfort.

From what you describe it does sound like it's cancer which is what carcinoma means. You may have both cancer and some pre cancer (it's what I had) but as they said they will not know for sure till they remove it and examine it. As best as I understand the pre cancer is tissue that is in the process of becoming cancerous so it does need to be removed. It sounds like it's been caught early which hopefully means no spread to your lymph nodes and so your treatment should be shorter. Lymph node biopsy is what they do to see if it has spread out of the breast and into the lymph nodes and tells them whether they need to remove some nodes as well.

Try not to worry too much as breast cancer is very treatable these days and yours sounds like it's been caught early which is good news and will hopefully mean a shorter treatment period.

I also have trouble hearing when I can't see people's mouths so explain this to your surgeon so he can speak louder and slower and maybe put it in writing for you.

Wishing you all the best with your surgery. x

FormerMember over 4 years ago in reply to GodWilling

Thank you so much for your insight and help here. Yes I should have mentioned my hearing issues. Like a lot of people, I have barely conversed with other humans since last March so I think I didn't quite appreciate my need to see their mouths! I'll make sure to mention that in future though.

Are you fully recovered now? Either way, I hope you're feeling good and positive, and I really thank you for your response, x

GodWilling over 4 years ago in reply to FormerMember

You're very welcome GemSpoon. I'm all finished now and should be starting Tamoxifen (hormone blockers) in a couple of weeks to safeguard against it coming back as my tumour was hormone positive. If you need to talk you can message me and there is also a great thread called AWAKE where lots of us support each other, chat and moan or whatever we feel we need. Just pop on and say Hi if you want to. Here is the link https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/chat-breast-cancer/f/breast-cancer-forum/128753/awake/1543355#1543355

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