Breast Cancer Risk Scare

I had a '3% breast cancer risk' scare early this week. After my yearly check-up at my gynae's clinic at PMC last week, my gynae referred me to a breast doctor at the Breast Care Center  and to another gynae (oncology gynecologist) to handle my uterine fibroid.  After a very stressful time last week of having to deal with the diagnosis of having severe anemia (reading of 6 g/dL.  Normal range is 12 - 16) caused by heavy periods contributed by the fibroid, I have to face yet another stressful week this week with work and another two appointments with doctors.  The damage to my wallet last week was over RM1,000 and this week's damage is another RM1,000.. holy crickets!!

On Wednesday this week, I met up with the breast surgeon on referral by my gynae.  She had a look at the ultrasound scan images and commented that while the cyst did not look round with a nice shape like it should (round and nicely shaped means benign), other markers did not suggest any malignancy.  The radiologist indicated a BIRADS III grading.. which means 'probably benign'.  She told me that while it is not malignant, there is a 3% cancer risk. My doctor's words were a sucker punch and I felt like I was slapped with a slow death sentence.  She ordered for a Mammogram done immediately.  For those of you who have had experience of doing an MMG, I am sure you feel really 'exploited' as your boops are being manhandled by 2 female imaging staff. That's really a very unpleasant feeling, not to mention the pain of having your boops squashed.

The MMG report further confirmed that the cysts are benign with a BIRADS II rating, oh thank you Lord Jesus!!  However, I will have to see the breast doctor in 3 months to have another ultrasound scan done to monitor the cysts. The 1 hour+ waiting time for the MMG report to be out was painful and tensed.

The BI-RADS assessment categories are:

• 0- incomplete
• 1-negative
• 2-benign findings
• 3-probably benign
• 4-suspicious abnormality
• 5-highly suspicious of malignancy
• 6-known biopsy with proven malignancy

My mum used to be very prone to fibrocystic breasts too during her pre-menopausal days and had undergone several open surgeries and fluid aspirations. In fact, she still gets lumps in her breasts occasionally now, at the age of over 70.  However, ever since she started consuming Izumio and Super Lutein, the products seem to be helping to shrink the lumps.  I am now taking extra dosage of Izumio and trying my best to keep my stress and anger level in check.  These two emotions are a big culprit in causing free radicals and intoxicating the body.  No matter how much Izumio I down, how healthily I eat and how much I exercise, anger and stress will negate the benefits of all these good stuff that I put into my body.

The stress hormone, cortisol, is public health enemy number one. Scientists have known for years that elevated cortisol levels interfere with learning and memory, lower immune function and bone density, increase weight gain, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease, cancer... the list goes on and on.

For the past few days, I have been telling myself not to sweat over the small stuff. Shouting and screaming at the kids have been reduced significantly, cussing and complaining have been kept down and I am learning to forgive and FORGET.  And I feel good about it. Practice makes perfect.  😊