Hi everyone,
I'm new here looking for help and information on how to treat my baby's mammary cancer. I just received results from a needle aspiration test and it came back as malignant. The lump is about the size of a pea and I discovered it last week below her left lowest nipple. I brought her straight to the specialist today to go over options and discuss surgery. I'm nervous cutting in to her and making the wrong decision to do surgery to remove the lump (plus two nipples) and still find out the cancer is not treatable. But I'm also nervous in watching it and hope it does not grow to possibly only make things worse.
Right now she's spunky and energetic as always and has no symptoms or pain. The surgeon seems to think the surgery would be "simple" and not even a half hour long. But really cannot diagnose what kind of carcinoma she has until it's removed. He suspects ductal carcinoma. She has a congenital heart defect and had balloon valvuplasty about 3-4 years ago to enlarge the artery. She is also spayed, although I waited because I didn't want to put her through yet another surgery. I spayed her around 3 years old. She's about 5.5 years now. So I'm hesitant in putting my poor girl through yet another surgery.
Does anyone have experience with mammary cancer or can offer some advice on how I should proceed? I am thinking do preliminary work first (ultrasound, blood work, echocardiogram) and not jump straight to surgery. This way I can at least know how her body is functioning overall while I decide what to do about surgery. I've also read needle aspiration isn't always accurate? Should I get a second opinion?
I'd love some advice. There is so much information out there and can be conflicting as well which is making me overwhelmed. I want to do what's best for her.
Thanks in advance.
I'm new here looking for help and information on how to treat my baby's mammary cancer. I just received results from a needle aspiration test and it came back as malignant. The lump is about the size of a pea and I discovered it last week below her left lowest nipple. I brought her straight to the specialist today to go over options and discuss surgery. I'm nervous cutting in to her and making the wrong decision to do surgery to remove the lump (plus two nipples) and still find out the cancer is not treatable. But I'm also nervous in watching it and hope it does not grow to possibly only make things worse.
Right now she's spunky and energetic as always and has no symptoms or pain. The surgeon seems to think the surgery would be "simple" and not even a half hour long. But really cannot diagnose what kind of carcinoma she has until it's removed. He suspects ductal carcinoma. She has a congenital heart defect and had balloon valvuplasty about 3-4 years ago to enlarge the artery. She is also spayed, although I waited because I didn't want to put her through yet another surgery. I spayed her around 3 years old. She's about 5.5 years now. So I'm hesitant in putting my poor girl through yet another surgery.
Does anyone have experience with mammary cancer or can offer some advice on how I should proceed? I am thinking do preliminary work first (ultrasound, blood work, echocardiogram) and not jump straight to surgery. This way I can at least know how her body is functioning overall while I decide what to do about surgery. I've also read needle aspiration isn't always accurate? Should I get a second opinion?
I'd love some advice. There is so much information out there and can be conflicting as well which is making me overwhelmed. I want to do what's best for her.
Thanks in advance.
