My sister was just diagnosed with cancer?

Question

My oldest sister Maureen was diagnosed with breast cancer yesterday. She is 41 years old. She is my best friend and is always giving me advice. She doesn't know what treatment option is best for her, because the cancer is already stage 3. She has 2 kids and is a great mother. What do you think? Does anyone have any advice for her??

Answer 1

there is a lot of information out there-- more choices, more decisions to make.  Start with her doctor and then she will talk with specialists and getting information from the cancer society and other resources.

First, she probably feels kind of shocked and scared.  That will pass and she will make a plan with her doctors about how to deal with the issue.  Reassure her that you will be a supportive help to her in every way possible and that she is definitely not alone as she goes through this challenging time in her life.  She does need to hear that from the people in her life.

Answer 2

Please read a personal experience of my good friend. He beat stage 4 borderline stage 5 with impressive results.   http://web.mac.com/edriczaruba1  

Best Regards

Answer 3

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer Stage 2B at the age of 41 last year, and I have three kids...14, 10, 6.  It's a good idea for someone to be with her at her appointments.  I know from experience that it's extremely overwhelming when the dr's are throwing all sorts of information, treatments, choices at you.  I struggled with the decision between lumpectomy and mastectomy...but went with the mastectomy.  And I went for a second opinion before I made my decision. I learned over this past year that you have to be your own best advocate when it comes to your health.

There are many treatments available to us nowadays.  And there are many survivors.  I know it's a really scary time for her, but stay as positive as possible, it really will help to get through this journey.

Feel free to email me through my profile if she needs to talk.  

She can also contact the local cancer society.  They can put her in touch with a volunteer who is a breast cancer survivor.

http://www.thesurvivormovie.com

Answer 4

dont know where you live, but have your sister call the Oncology Dept at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina... They are in the forefront in cancer research and treatment, if she is not close to it, they can Im sure at least recommend a very good doctor or hospital to see here. There are also alternative cancer treatment facilities throughout the southwest, but be careful here... sounds like she needs aggressive treatment. Have had cancer myself, wish your sister blessings. it's VERY important that you and your family be a POSITIVE force for her, and just keep loving her the way that you have been. Good luck to you all.

Answer 5

stage III breast cancer (... brest KAN-ser)

  Stage III breast cancer is divided into stages IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC. In stage IIIA, (1) no tumor is found in the breast, but cancer is found in axillary (under the arm) lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone; or (2) the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller and cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures, or the cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone; or

READ MORE

http://www.cancer.gov/Templates/db_alpha...

Answer 6

Her best advice will come from her doctors.  However, I had chemo before surgery so they could see the effect on the tumour, it's called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.  By the time I finished the chemo and they got to the surgery, there were no living cancer cells left in the breast tumour or the lymph nodes.  I was sort of borderline between stage 2 and 3 to start with, the difference for me was mostly determined by the size of the tumour.  The particular type of chemo or treatment regimen that will be recommended to you sister will depend on the particular characteristics of her breast cancer.  Tumours are of different types depending on their hormone receptor status and if the are HER2 positive.  What works best for one type won't necessarily work best for another.

I had dose dense Adriamycin and Cytoxin followed by dose dense Taxol.  Dose dense means they hit you hard with the chemo and give you injections if you need them to boost your white blood cell production.  It can be gruelling, but the point of it is to hit the cancer so hard it doesn't have time to recover between treatments.

I highly recommend www.breastcancer.org.  It has very good information, and quite up-to-date info.  Also it has discussions groups on various topics with contributors who are very helpful and well informed.  There will be help there for both you and your sister.

Good luck to both of you.

Answer 7

I am an oncologist (cancer expert) myself. She is going to an excellent facility for advice. If she is not comfortable there, or she does not like what they say, it is normal to seek out a second opinion.

She still has curable disease!