National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

I felt my first lumps when I was 34 years old. I went to my primary care physician and he told me to have a "baseline mammogram" sometime that year. I was concerned, so I had it within a two weeks. The report came back that I had a "mass", so I had an ultrasound. That showed "two cystic" regions. I was told it was nothing to worry about, "too young for breast cancer." I was told to return in one year. I also felt another lump in that year. I went to the doctor and he ordered an ultrasound. I had the ultrasound and was told that I had another cyst. I was told to have a mammogram. I asked my doctor why a a mammogram? Shouldn't I have an aspiration or biopsy. He said no. He reassured me that I was Fibrocysistic. He told me to come back in one year. I went back and had another ultrasound. I was told there was a change in one of my cysts. I asked the dr if it was still considered a cyst. He said yes. Well, finally a biopsy was done. I had three cancerous tumors. It was in 3/4 of my breast and I had two positive nodes. I had chemotherapy, mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, tamoxifin, zoladex, ovary removal, and am now on Femera. I'm doing great!!
Since I went to the same dr. three years in a row and had the same radiologist read my films three years in a row, I filed a malpractice case and won. It was not at all about the money to me. It was about doctors that don't pay attention to their patients concerns. Why reassure someone they don't have cancer rather than ruling it out by tests? I asked for tests and was refused!
The slogan "Early Detection Saves Lives" bothers me. I and many other women follow the recommendations for early detectioin, but some of our doctors don't.