By Joanna Kreisel I thought I couldn’t bear any more Then I expand Time slips away, slowly Awake with grief I dig deeper, heart heavy Mine, scars His, wounds Lean on me, I will take you through I tighten my grip, but it continues to take A strength stronger than before I wish I didn’t need to be Moments of deep despair We share tears You are home, where I need to be I am yours I long for before or after But there is only now About Joanna: I am a breast cancer survivor and caregiver to my partner who is undergoing treatment for a rare kidney cancer. Connect with Joanna on Instagram Share your poetry: https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/submit-breast-cancer-story SurvivingBreastCancer.org Resources & Support: Podcast Weekly Meetups Free Events

By Dania Francis Read Dania’s breast cancer story: Thoughts on October: Breast Cancer “All Too Aware” Month Every morning for 5 weeks. I park my car, walk down the long path, check in while patients much older than me can’t help but stare, and I smile as I stick out my right wrist to get my ID band placed by the nice front desk staff. I walk down the hall. The first day I was a bit lost with each turn, but now I know exactly where to go. I find my locker, lucky number 23, and I grab my XXL gown and get changed. I take the same seat every morning and look around the waiting room. Some women are reading, some are there for the first time, and some are almost done. I smile at whoever is looking, and make a connection. A 41-year-old woman just like me with the same diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), she’s from Italy originally and has a beautiful accent. We talk about our Italian culture and how hard this has all been. We exchange numbers and offer each other comfort and good wishes for the day. We are on the same schedule and will end our radiation within two days of one another. She is struggling with knee pain from immunotherapy and I offer her some advice to talk to her doctor about. A 35-year-old woman is holding a big tub of chocolate biscotti to give to the radiation team, because she heard that’s what you should do. I tell her I’m a nurse and that we always appreciate that. We smile at each other and I learn that she is halfway through her treatment for triple positive breast cancer. I wish her luck as the tech calls my name. An 85-year-old woman is here for her first day of treatment for HR+ breast cancer. She is nervous and unsteady on her feet. Her daughter comes back with her to help her get into her gown. She sits down next to me. I smile at her and tell her everything will be okay. She smiles at me and I can tell she feels sorry I am so young. She reaches her hand to my arm and squeezes gently. The tech calls her name and I wish her luck. I look forward to seeing her tomorrow. I only have five more mornings in this waiting room after today... and I will remember the connections I made forever. Maybe it’s the nurse in me, or the desire to connect with others on this path. The waiting room is a special place for me. About the author: Dania is 41 and lives in NY with her husband and two small children. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner, Yoga teacher, and certified Reiki healer. She is a stage 2 Triple Negative Breast Cancer Thriver. Read More: Thoughts on October: Breast Cancer “All Too Aware” Month Different Types of Breast Cancer Breast Cancer in Young Women: Common Questions Answered On the Podcast: Breast Cancer Conversations Radiation Therapy: What Every Breast Cancer Thriver Needs To Know Share your story, poetry, or art: https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/submit-breast-cancer-story SurvivingBreastCancer.org Resources & Support: Podcast Weekly Meetups Free Events

By Olivia Smith Content warning: death and dying Read part 1 of Olivia’s story: The Last Thing I Told My Mom Was a Lie (Part 1) My sister met me in South Carolina and we drove with my 2-month-old puppy down to Florida, stopping for the night along the way. The time is still such a fog; it seemed so quick, and it felt like I was moving through a vat of honey all at once, almost as if life was happening to me and I wasn’t in my body. I was terrified to get there and see how she looked. Before this round of cancer, she was always very fit and healthy, enjoying the gym. For much of her life, she was ripped. Over the past 11 months, she had shrunk over 3 inches from the tumors along her spine and compression fractures from the cancer. She was a bit hunched over and had lost a lot of weight. She refused to look at herself in the mirror, which broke my heart. She was beautiful, but had spent her 56 years on this Earth having a bad relationship with her body, including eating disorders. The changes the cancer made to her body exacerbated her low body image and this was a big struggle for her. On my previous trip down, two weeks prior, her weight loss and new height were pretty evident. But it was still a shock to see her only two weeks later, so very frail and her complexion looking a grayish yellow. She came outside to see us, so excited we were there, and my stomach dropped seeing the changes, making it feel real. I tried to mask the shock from my face so she wouldn’t notice. As our mom, she was already more afraid of the effect her death would have on her daughters than her fear of death itself. The next few days passed in a blur; the hospice care team finally came to do an intake on Friday. By then, my mom’s speech was a bit slurred. She also left with her husband Friday to complete her will. In her 11 months with this cancer, she had yet to do that until the last possible minute. I spent the days with her and my sister while she was awake, playing with my puppy while trying to keep his high energy from bothering my mom. We tried our best to make her laugh, keep her comfortable, and be there for her, but we had no clue how much longer she had left. I spent the nights sobbing on the floor in their bathroom by myself before I took a shower. I was so afraid of what was to come and how I could survive it. I tried to keep my pain and fear to myself, even though we were all experiencing it. That Saturday, my sister and I were lying by my mom’s pool while she rested, and I decided to read the hospice pamphlet. The back of it had signs of coming death to look for, grouping it by how soon death was to be anticipated. One sign that meant death was coming very quickly was swelling and discoloration of the feet and ankles. Later that day, I noticed that her feet and ankles were swollen and discolored. I looked at my sister and asked if she’d read that pamphlet. “Yup,” she said. “Did you see Mom’s feet?” I asked. “Yup,” she said. And we just nodded and sighed, knowing it was coming soon. This was all happening in August, but we were thinking ahead to Thanksgiving, as it was my mom’s favorite holiday. We had planned to go down that Thanksgiving to spend it with her in case it was her last, and to celebrate my sister’s master’s degree graduation, but we didn’t make it. At the suggestion of one of my best friends, we decided we would do Thanksgiving for my mom that Sunday and invited a few close people to celebrate with her. By the time Sunday came, my mom was barely leaving the hospice bed, except to try to use the restroom. That morning, my mom’s husband told us that she told him she didn’t know how much time she had left, and we took it as a sign of goodbye. Later, my mom asked for my sister and me. She told us she loved us very much and was proud of us. We then knew she was definitely saying goodbye. I asked her if she was scared, hoping she would tell me no and that she was at peace and ready to go to set my mind at ease. But she wasn’t. She barely got the words out, “Yes, I’m scared,” and it broke my heart. I hugged her and tried to keep myself together. Just as my step sister and family friends were arriving, I left her room and cried while mashing potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. I wasn’t ready for this. My mom wasn’t well enough to sit and eat with us. Right before dinner, she had her first hospice nurse visit. The nurse told us she was at the five-day or less timeline, gave us some emergency medicine, and gave my mom an anxiety and pain pill. We sat down and tried to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with the door from my mom's room open right next to us. She started groaning while we ate, and one of us at a time would go in and sit with her. Just before dessert, my sister called for me to come in. “It’s time,” she said. I stood by my mom, brushing her hair with my hand and telling her I loved her. I kissed her forehead while she groaned and cried when I felt her cool skin, knowing it really was coming. I had to get a chair to sit on because I was shaking. My step brother was supposed to be leaving for the airport but couldn’t because my mom was actively dying. We all sat around her for what felt like hours as she groaned and moaned, and her breathing slowed. We all lied to her, telling her it’s okay, she could let go, and we would be okay. My sister and I told her she raised us well and we would be okay without her, but even I didn’t believe myself. I didn’t want to say those lies; she taught me not to lie. “Honesty is the best policy,” she had said, but I had to lie to let her go, to get out of pain. I had watched my mom suffer for 11 months, and I couldn’t ask her to suffer for one more moment. It wasn’t okay, though. I didn’t believe I would be okay. At one point, she groaned, “Help me.” I lost it and started sobbing; my big sister motioned to my step brother and pointed to me as if to say, “Take care of her.” He immediately stepped over and hugged me, and I spent the rest of the time she was dying sobbing into his stomach. What do you do when your dying mother says “Help me” and you can’t? That was the most painful part of all for me. I had never watched anyone die before; I wasn’t prepared. My only expectation was seeing “so-and-so died peacefully surrounded by family” in obituaries. But this was far from peaceful; she cried for help! Would she be okay? Would she find peace? As someone who doesn’t handle not having all of the answers well, this tore me apart. After a painful 11 months with cancer, I just needed to know she was at peace and out of pain at the end, and I didn’t know how to trust that after watching her painful death. Her breathing continued to slow, and eventually her groaning became quieter and quieter. Her husband noticed she had wet herself and asked us to change her. We moved her body from the hospice bed to her bed. My sister and I helped take off her nightgown while my step sister cleaned the hospice bed and got new sheets. We moved her back, covering her dying, naked body with a blanket. Soon after that, her breathing stopped altogether. She was gone. We said goodbye, and we all left the room, calling our partners and trying to process the news. I spent the majority of that evening crying. My sister and step sister went back into the room after calling the funeral home to come pick up her body. They let her dogs sniff her dead body so they would know what happened. Together, they picked out an outfit and shoes to dress my mom in so she could look beautiful and have dignity as her body was cremated. My sister even applied my mom’s favorite beauty item, mascara, to her eyelashes. I am forever grateful my sister could do this for my mom. I wasn’t strong enough to see her again. I stayed outside when they came to remove her body, too. I couldn’t take seeing her lifeless body another time. That evening, after she was gone, all of us kids spent time in her pool, laughing and crying over memories of her. She was gone. I still didn’t know how I would move on, how I would forget the feeling of her cool skin, forget the lies I told her, forget her last words begging for help. It’s been six months now, and although I get flashbacks and nightmares about her death less frequently, they still come. I don’t know if they’ll ever go away. The pain it brings me is hard to explain. I wish I could take away her pain, take away her death. Sometimes, I forget she’s not still alive and well in Florida, riding on a motorcycle and enjoying the warm weather. I still don’t know how to get over a lot of it. Sometimes my brain can’t comprehend that it happened, even though I watched the life leave her pale cold body that was once a strong, warm place to seek safety. Sometimes I have a thought cross my brain of a question I need to ask her, or something funny to tell her before I realize that’s not possible, and the pain comes flooding back again. I have to constantly re-remember that she’s dead, that this is real life and not some terrible nightmare I will wake from, which oftentimes means reliving her suffering and death. Sometimes my sister and I are forced to relive her death through nightmares and spend the next day in a fog. But I’m in therapy to process it, and the waves of grief come less and less frequently. And sometimes I can remember fond moments with her now, and make fun of her annoying tendencies with my sister. Sometimes we also make other people uncomfortable with dark humor, and sometimes we eat what we call “dead mom cheesecake” and mope. Dead mom cheesecake got its name from my sister. One day at work, shortly after our mom died, one of her coworkers brought in a cheesecake that their wife had made for my sister. My sister was tired of people being awkward about our mom’s death and not knowing how to act around her. So, when she took the cheesecake out to eat it, she asked everyone if they would like to eat some “dead mom cheesecake” with her. Her dark humor worked and broke the ice with her coworkers, putting them at ease. They felt more comfortable around her and enjoyed “dead mom cheesecake” with her. Using dark humor may not be for everyone, but it has been a coping mechanism my sister and I appreciate. Sometimes it makes others uncomfortable, but sometimes it can help break the ice to put people at ease. When it’s just her and I, it can help make things more bearable and allow us to laugh alongside the pain. Nothing could’ve prepared me for my mom dying. But it wasn’t until I read a memoir about a woman who lost her mom to cancer, who said her mom’s last word was “pain” that I felt seen and like I wasn’t alone in experiencing such a painful death. It felt comforting to know that my mom wasn’t alone, that maybe it was more common than I thought. That maybe she is okay now somewhere, playing with my childhood dog and looking after me in another way. People don’t talk about death often; it’s not a fun thing. I often feel isolated by it, wishing people would talk about her more, even if it brings up some sad feelings. It feels good to talk about her, to remember her, that she mattered. Death is inevitable for all of us. Through her death, I have found a passion for advocating and fundraising for breast cancer organization funding and research. I dream of a world where nobody will have to experience what my mom did. Where no loved ones will have to experience what my sister and I did. I have been hesitant to talk much about her death, for many reasons. It isn’t easy to talk about. I wrote most of this in tears, having to relive a really traumatizing experience. Talking about death makes most people uncomfortable, and who likes to make people uncomfortable? Also, since being more involved in the breast cancer community, I see so many stories of hope and beating the odds. So many women working so incredibly hard to rid their bodies of cancer, like the one that killed my mom. Those stories bring me and so many others such a heart-warming sense of hope and happiness. I am afraid to share my experience with her death because I don’t want to bring fear to anyone experiencing breast cancer. Everyone’s cancer experience is unique, and thankfully many don’t end in death. There have been so many advancements in the last decade, improving statistics. However, death is the one thing that is guaranteed in life, we will all experience it at some point, hopefully in a more peaceful way than my mom did. Sharing my experience isn’t easy. I’d prefer to keep it to myself and shield people from the harsh death we witnessed. However, the more people I’ve shared my experience with, the more I’ve felt not alone. I’ve heard others suffering quietly in their own bubble, afraid to talk about what they saw. Writing it down and sharing it has helped me, and if this brings at least one person some comfort and to feel a little less alone, then it was worth the pain that came with writing this. My sister and I did what we could to bring our mom comfort when her time came, even though it caused us pain, including telling her one last lie. I can only hope that the lie brought her some peace in her last moments and that she’s proud of us and who we are becoming in her absence. If you are searching for someone who understands or have questions, feel free to reach out to me at @gingers_breasties on Instagram or at gingers.breasties@gmail.com. Read More: Navigating Grief: Understanding the Stages of Loss and Healing Breaking the Silence on End-of-Life: What is a Death Doula? Newly Diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer Living with MBC Metastatic Breast Cancer: Understanding the Significance of Stage IV Supporting Loved Ones with Breast Cancer: How to Offer Meaningful Help Thursday Night Support Groups On the Podcast: Breast Cancer Conversations Breaking the Silence on End-of-Life Share your story, poetry, or art: https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/submit-breast-cancer-story SurvivingBreastCancer.org Resources & Support: Podcast Weekly Meetups Free Events

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What is Breast Cancer? What is Breast Cancer? ​ Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. To better understand breast cancer, it helps to understand how any cancer can develop. Cancer occurs as a result of mutations, or abnormal changes, in the genes responsible for regulating the growth of cells and keeping them healthy. The genes are in each cell’s nucleus, which acts as the “control room” of each cell. Normally, the cells in our bodies replace themselves through an orderly process of cell growth: healthy new cells take over as old ones die out. But over time, mutations can “turn on” certain genes and “turn off” others in a cell. That changed cell gains the ability to keep dividing without control or order, producing more cells just like it and forming a tumor. A tumor can be benign (not dangerous to health) or malignant (has the potential to be dangerous). Benign tumors are not considered cancerous: their cells are close to normal in appearance, they grow slowly, and they do not invade nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body. Malignant tumors are cancerous. Left unchecked, malignant cells eventually can spread beyond the original tumor to other parts of the body. The term “breast cancer” refers to a malignant tumor that has developed from cells in the breast. Usually breast cancer either begins in the cells of the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands, or the ducts, the passages that drain milk from the lobules to the nipple. Less commonly, breast cancer can begin in the stromal tissues, which include the fatty and fibrous connective tissues of the breast. ​ Breast Anatomy. A breast is made up of three main parts: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. The lobules are the glands that produce milk. The ducts are tubes that carry milk to the nipple. The connective tissue (which consists of fibrous and fatty tissue) surrounds and holds everything together. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts or lobules. Over time, cancer cells can invade nearby healthy breast tissue and make their way into the underarm lymph nodes, small organs that filter out foreign substances in the body. If cancer cells get into the lymph nodes, they then have a pathway into other parts of the body. The breast cancer’s stage refers to how far the cancer cells have spread beyond the original tumor (see the Stages of breast cancer below for more information). Breast cancer is always caused by a genetic abnormality (a “mistake” in the genetic material). However, only 5-10% of cancers are due to an abnormality inherited from your mother or father. Instead, 85-90% of breast cancers are due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and the “wear and tear” of life in general. ​ There are steps every person can take to help the body stay as healthy as possible, such as eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, limiting alcohol, and exercising regularly (learn what you can do to manage breast cancer risk factors ). While these may have some impact on your risk of getting breast cancer, they cannot eliminate the risk. Developing breast cancer is not your or anyone's fault. Feeling guilty, or telling yourself that breast cancer happened because of something you or anyone else did, is not productive. ​ Stages of Breast Cancer Staging is a standard term used across the medical profession to communicate how widespread or advanced the cancer is in the breast tissue and possibly other parts of your body. If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, doctors and pathologists will examine biopsy and imaging results to determine the stage — also known as the progression — of the disease. The process is complicated but necessary to determine the best treatment plan for your particular type of cancer. The most common staging system is the TNM (Tumor, Node, Metastasis - more on this below), which focuses on tumor size, lymph node involvement and metastatic spread of the cancer. It also factors in details related to hormone receptors, the protein HER2 and growth rate of the cells. The staging of your tumor is utilized by doctors to explain the breadth and scope of the cancer and helps them determine how to move forward with treatment, including surgery, if needed. Doctors use diagnostic tests to find out the cancer's stage, so staging may not be complete until all the tests are finished. The stage of a breast cancer is determined by the cancer’s characteristics, such as how large it is and whether or not it has hormone receptors. The stage of the cancer helps you and your doctor: ​ • figure out your prognosis, the likely outcome of the disease • decide on the best treatment options for you • determine if certain clinical trials may be a good option for you Breast cancer stage is usually expressed as a number on a scale of 0 through IV — with stage 0 describing non-invasive cancers that remain within their original location and stage IV describing invasive cancers that have spread outside the breast to other parts of the body. ​ Clinical vs. Pathological Staging Clinical staging is based on the results of tests done prior to surgery. If your biopsy comes back positive, your doctor may order additional tests to garner a better understanding if and where the cancerous cells have spread. This data gathering period may include physical examinations, mammogram, ultrasound, and MRI scans. In some cases your doctor may also order a bone or CT scans. Pathologic staging is based on what is found during surgery to remove breast tissue and lymph nodes. While a lot of the aforementioned tests can provide your oncological team with lots of information and data points, it is not until surgery is performed whereby the surgeons can remove the tumor and possible lymph nodes in order to confirm the size of the tumor, the number of lymph node involvement, and whether or not the cancer has metastasized. Early Stage Breast Cancer Early stage breast cancer refers to stages 0-III. Stage 0 Stage 0 cancers are called “carcinoma in situ.” Carcinoma means cancer and “in situ” means “in the original place.” Types of “in situ carcinoma” include • DCIS – Ductal carcinoma in situ • LCIS – Lobular carcinoma in situ • Paget disease of the nipple Stage I Stage I can be divided into Stage IA and Stage IB. The difference is determined by the size of the tumor and the lymph nodes with evidence of cancer. Stage II Stage II means the breast cancer is growing, but it is still contained in the breast or growth has only extended to nearby lymph nodes. This stage is divided into groups: Stage IIA and Stage IIB. The difference is determined by the size of the tumor and whether the breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Stage III Stage III cancer means the breast cancer has extended beyond the immediate region of the tumor and may have invaded nearby lymph nodes and muscles, but has not spread to distant organs. This stage is divided into three groups: Stage IIIA, Stage IIIB, and Stage IIIC. The difference is determined by the size of the tumor and whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and surrounding tissue. Stage IV In Stage IV, the cancer has spread to other organs and parts of the body beyond the breast. This stage is often referred to as metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and is more difficult to treat due to the impact on other organs. Stage IV cancer symptoms include visible swelling in the breast and armpit; dry, flaky skin; red, dimpled skin; nipple discharge; breast pain; fatigue; insomnia; loss of appetite; weight loss; shortness of breath and other symptoms related to the specific organs involved. Although Stage IV breast cancer is not curable, it is treatable to a certain extent and current advances in research and medical technology mean that more and more women are living longer by managing the disease as a chronic illness with a focus on quality of life as a primary goal. With excellent care and support, as well as personal motivation, Stage IV breast cancer may respond to a number of treatment options that can extend one’s life for several years. TNM Staging System Doctors use the TNM system to ensure that medical professionals are using the same language and system to describe the tumor. T refers to the size of the tumor measured in centimeters and where it is located. N refers to the number of lymph nodes which were positive for cancer. If no lymph nodes were involved, the pathology report would state N(0). M refers to whether or not the cancer has traveled to distant part of the body such as the bones or organs. If it has spread, it will state where and how much. As an example, stage IIB may read something like this: (T3, N0, M0) meaning the tumor is greater than 55mm and has not spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Updated Staging Guidelines The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) established the way cancer is communicated. Clinicians and the surveillance community count on the AJCC for the most comprehensive anatomic staging data available, I.e., the Cancer Staging Manual and Cancer Staging Atlas. In 2018 the AJCC updated the breast cancer staging guidelines to add other cancer characteristics to the T, N, M system to determine a cancer’s stage. In addition to knowing the stage of your cancer, breast cancer is also classified according to other characteristics. These include how sensitive it is to the hormones estrogen and progesterone as well as to the level of certain proteins that play a role in breast cancer growth, such as HER2. It is also classified by the cancer’s genetic makeup. • Tumor Grade: a measurement of how much the cancer cells look like normal cells • Estrogen- & Progesterone-Receptor Status: do the cancer cells have receptors for the hormones estrogen and progesterone? • HER2 status: are the cancer cells making too much of the HER2 protein? • Oncotype DX score, if the cancer is estrogen-receptor-positive, HER2-negative, and there is no cancer in the lymph nodes. The above amended guidelines have helped to create and reinforce ontological/surgical treatment advances. As you can imagine Staging is a complex undertaking and these latest AJCC guidelines allow for a more cohesive and universal diagnosis and treatment options. References and additional information on staging can be found on the resource links below: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/breast-cancer/stages https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/staging https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-stage-3 Breast Cancer Stages Early Stage Breast Early stage breast cancer refers to stages 0-III Late Stage or Advanced Stage Breast Cancer Late stage breast cancer refers to stage IV, or Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Types of Breast Cancer Breast cancer is not just one disease — it can be classified into different types depending on how the cells in the breast look under a microscope. Different types of breast cancer include: ​ 1. Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS): DCIS is considered a non-invasive form of breast cancer, meaning it has not spread beyond the milk ducts into any surrounding normal tissue. Check out Jennifer's story being diagnosed with DCIS after a clear mammogram. 2. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC): This is the most common type of breast cancer, where cancer cells have invaded the surrounding tissue. 3. Inflammatory Breast Cancer: This type of breast cancer is considered aggressive and can often be hard to diagnose because it does not always form a lump. 4. Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS): LCIS is considered a non-invasive type of breast cancer which means that the cancer cells are contained within the lobules and have not spread to surrounding normal tissue. 5. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC): This type of cancer starts in the milk-producing lobules and can spread beyond them into other parts of the breast. 6. Mucinous Carcinoma: This type of breast cancer is slow growing and therefore often less aggressive. It starts in the main cells of mucus, called mucin. Although this type of cancer can develop anywhere, it's most common in your breast. 7. Metaplastic Breast Cancer: MpBC is an aggressive and invasive type of cancer, meaning that it multiplies quickly and can spread throughout the body. MpBC tends to spread or metastasize more than other breast cancers. ​ 8. Angiosarcoma: This type of cancer is very rare and can occur in any part of the body, but it is most commonly found in the breast tissue. 9. Phyllodes Tumor: This type of tumor is not considered cancer, but it can still be dangerous if not treated promptly. 10. Paget's Disease: This is a rare form of breast cancer that starts in the nipple and can spread to other parts of the breast if left untreated. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ > Questions to Ask Your Surgeorn Download PDF Understanding the Different Types of Breast Cancer Read On Connect with Others during our Weekly Virtual Meet-Up Learn More

Breast Cancer 101 Lifestyle & Wellness Resources Programs Library Podcast About More Newly Diagnosed. Now What? What brings you to this website is most likely a breast cancer diagnosis. Perhaps you found a lump, noticed swelling or experienced pain; maybe you are awaiting test results; or you just heard the words that you've been diagnosed with breast cancer; or perhaps you are experiencing a recurrence. Whatever the reason, I want you to know that you will be supported and that our Surviving Breast Cancer (SBC) community is here for you! ​ We are here to help! A breast cancer diagnosis disrupts our lives and throws us into a whirlwind of doctors appointments, follow ups, tests, scans, and the like. Each and every one of us have unique experiences, and what our SBC platform and community provides is education, support, and resources for you as a complement to your medical care. We are not medical professionals, nor provide medical advice. But what we do offer is content, stories, and community when you need it most! What I mean by that is you are welcome to dive in to absolutely everything we offer today, or, you can take bite size approaches to get the information and support when you feel ready for it. We've listed a few links and resources to help get you started and to hopefully make things a bit less overwhelming. Download. Questions to Ask Your Surgeon Download PDF Questions to Ask Your Radiologist Downlod PDF Questions to Ask Your Oncologist Download PDF Burning Questions Latest News Who Should I Tell? Learning that you have been diagnosed with breast cancer can set you into a whirlind of uncertainty and that is to be expected. There is probably a lot of information you do not yet know. At this time, you may want to start thinking about who you should tell. While this can also be difficult for loved ones, family, and friends to hear, you are actually in the process of cultivating your support team! Remember, you do not need to tell everyone all at once. Perhaps starting with close family, let friends know how they can help support you during this time. It is a personal decision on how private or public you want to be and completely your choice in how much information you choose to share. You may want to have seperate conversations with your children depending on their ages. We also recommend speaking with your medical team about your treatment options and getting a plan in place for when you may need to take time off from work or be out of the office. Should I Get A Second Opinion? You may consider receiving a second opinion from another medical oncologist or breast surgeon. In some cases, people get multiple opinions before making any decisions on their care and medical treatment plan. Women in our Breast Cancer Support Group often share that it is important for them to feel comfortable with your doctors; that there is a rapport and trust. After all, your medical team is going to be your primary caregiver throughout treatment so it is important you feel comfortable with the person, able to ask questions, and feel confident in your plan of action. ​ Your Medical Care Team may consist of one or several of the following: Breast Oncologist Breast Surgeon Breast Plastic Surgeon Radiation Oncologist Social Worker Psychologist What Treatment Options Do I Have? Thanks to continued research taking place in Breast Cancer, people diagnosed today have a variety of treatment options and are able to live long healthy lives. Treatment options will be tailored to your specific diagnosis and dependent on the stage of your breast cancer (1-4) and it's characteristics. For example, is it HER2 positive or negative, is it triple negative meaning it is estrogen receptor negative, progesterone receptor negative and HER2 negative. Your oncologist will also take into consideration how advance the cancer is. During this phase you may be getting more tests and scans. During this phase, you may also consider genetic testing. Genetic testing is helpful for a multitude of reasons including helping to make surgery decisions. If you end of testing positive for a genetic pre-disposition to developing breast cancer, your surgeon may recommend a full double mastectomy. Traditional standard of care includes: Surgery (not always required if you are diagnosed with metastatic stage IV breast cancer, that is, your cancer has spread beyond your breast to your bones, lungs, liver, or brain) Radiation (not always required) Chemotherapy (not always required) Hormonal Therapy (not always required) Oftentimes people will also consider integrative therapies as a complement to the standard treatments which also has been shown to reduce some of the side effects of treatment: Acupuncture Yoga Meditation Additionally speak to your oncologist about Clinical Trials and if you would be a candidate. Will I Need Chemotherapy? Not everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will need chemotherapy. There are several factors that go into this determination and should be a conversation you have with your oncologist. For example, your doctor will take into consideration the stage of cancer that you have (i.e., stage 1, 2, 3, 4) and the characteristics of your tumor, (i.e., if it is hormonal positive or negative) etc. In some instances, chemotherapy will be an option for people prior to surgery. This is called neo-adjuvant chemo. Other times, chemotherapy may be prescribed after surgery which is referred to as adjuvant chemotherapy. ​ . Tue, Sep 10 Online 8 Week Program Encourage and Empower Program for the Newly Diagnosed Sep 10, 2024, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT Online 8 Week Program Join Gloria Shoon for a weekly gathering of encouragement and empowerment. In this 8 week program, designed specifically for those who are newly diagnosed, participants will explore tiny habits that build upon each other. Share RSVP Join our community SBC offers a safe space to build community. We provide reliable information and offer what you most need during the diagnosis: understanding. English Español