Multiple breast tmours

Hi Pool

Welcome to the forum and I am sorry to hear that you were diagnosed with breast cancer and that they discovered two other tumours in the breast tissue that they took.

While you are perfectly entitled to pay for a MRI if that’s what you want to do I suggest that you ring your breast care nurse first and have a chat with them about how you are feeling and they should be able to set your mind at rest.

Rant away all you like as we all know how you are feeling.

Wishing you the best of luck with what comes next for you.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Hello Pool

I was initially diagnosed with one tumour but then after having MRI they discovered 2 more.

I know it's worrying but as Daisy said perhaps you could talk to one of the nurses, they've always really helped me.

 Best wishes

Thanks Jac, I hope your tmt is going well. I haven’t been offered an MRI. I can’t find anyone in this position just told consultant is confident. I will keep asking though

The consultants one their stuff but I know it's working and scary. 
I've had a really hard day, I've finished chemo and radiotherapy but ache all over and feel scared all the time! 

Sorry that's just me.

I’d definitely discuss with your team once results are in. Did you have DCIS between the lumps. Maybe ask if you need further surgery because they found further occult (hidden from mammogram) tumours at surgery. It’s tough being thrown curve balls, but the answers are out there. If you need a private MRI to settle your mind, do it. The results are way faster than the NHS

Thanks Zephyr. Just told stage and grade of all 3. Still waiting for ER and Her2. No other info on distance between etc offered. I didn’t know to ask until I did some research as I was never told this might happen. I am very surprised that there is no discussion, no treatment options. Just told it doesn’t change the prognosis. If not why are they retesting the tumours. 2 tumours weren’t detected on mammo and U/S how can they know there aren’t more that remain undetected. I don’t feel discussion is welcomed and I’m tired of hearing I’m lucky, that this is the cancer to have and the surgery has got rid of the cancer. If so why go onto radiotherapy. So many contradictions. 

Hi Pool I’m sorry you find yourself in this situation. 
in answer to your final question re: Radiotherapy. That is given to blast the breast so that any tiny Cancer cells that might of remained post surgery will be killed off. A kind of mopping up process! 
I totally get your uncertainty about them not seeing these other Tumours and therefore could there be more! Definitely one to discuss with your BCN and or Surgeon! But I think you can feel assured that they would have had a good look around, hence finding the other 2! Did you ask the size of the tumours? Were they VERY small? Perhaps they were hidden by the first tumour! 
IF they were in any doubt that there may be more tumours hiding, I’m pretty sure they would have discussed with you the option of having a mastectomy! But please discuss all your concerns with them or they will just eat away at you!

Oh and the reason for testing the two other tumours is it is possible, but rare, to have 2 different types of tumour. So one might be HER- and one Her+. If they were different then your treatment plan ‘could’ change! 
Sounds to me like they are doing all they can to give you the best chance of the all clear, going forward.

Wishing you all the best xx

Hi Pool, I’m so sorry to hear about your situation - I totally get the shock you must be feeling with the hidden tumours as I was in the same situation. It feels like being diagnosed all over again, but with the added shock that the tests we are supposed to rely on (mammogram) somehow don’t seem to work in our case! 
In my case I had an invasive tumour the doctors and I could both feel but which couldn’t be seen on mammogram. This was visible under ultrasound so they could biopsy it and it turned out to be a rare form of BC grade 2. This led them to send me for an MRI which picked up IDC in the same breast (also hidden on mammogram) so my treatment plan changed from lumpectomy to mastectomy. When I went for my results 2 weeks after surgery it was good news as my sentinel node biopsy showed no evidence of spread. However all I remember hearing was that they’d made the right decision about mastectomy as post surgical analysis showed there had also been a large amount of DCIS in my breast - a third type of cancer which had also been hidden on mammogram and on MRI! I felt really traumatised, especially by the casual way the consultant dropped this into the conversation.

I’m now almost a year down the line from surgery and have processed this a bit. I have also met other women who have had ‘occult’ tumours. It does feel frightening, but I’m holding onto the fact that in my case there was no evidence of any spread to lymph nodes (so the cancer is unlikely to have gone elsewhere) and also the fact both of the invasive tumours were strongly ER+ so any rogue cells should respond well to hormone therapy. In addition, the consultant has agreed in my case I should have annual MRIs instead of mammograms, given my history (although I had to push to get this guaranteed). I’ve got my first annual MRI coming up next month so am naturally feeling nervous, but I do also feel reassured that it was successful at picking up the invasive tumours previously. 

I suggest you reach out to your BC nurse and/or your consultant to discuss your worries about having had occult cancer. They will understand this, and may be able to reassure you based on the specifics of your cancer diagnosis (for example whether or not it was in the lymph nodes and any additional meds you are taking). Give yourself permission to ask any questions you need to - I went with a big list! They may also agree to you having annual MRIs rather than mammograms, which may give you some peace of mind. I too considered paying for a full body MRI scan privately but have decided against this (for now anyway) as some of the trauma of having occult cancer has faded and I’m feeling a bit more settled. It’s entirely your decision though, and if it will bring you peace of mind then go for it. You need to do what’s right for you.
Sending you a hug and wishing you well for your treatment and recovery, Rosie xx