Tricia Howerter

Many of you already know the story but here it goes.  On 6/12 I had a regular screening Mammogram.  I was brought back for a suspicious area on 6/16 for a diagnostic mammogram at which time I was told there was an area of significant concern and thus I had a biopsy at that appointment.  On 6/20  I was diagnosed with Invasive ductal Cancer of my left breast and  my pathology showed grade 3 cells (note this is not the stage of the cancer but rather grade of the cells).  On 6/26 in a consult with Dr. Mike Brown I learned I was Triple negative (there is no hormone feeding my cancer and my cancer is aggressive).   On 6/29 I had genetic testing which incidentally came back negative (so now we have no cause of my cancer...not hormonal or genetic).   On 7/1 I had a CT scan which was clear and on 7/5 I had a bone scan which was also clear.  On 7/19 I had an MRI of both breasts at Fox Chase which I received the results of yesterday 7/24.  The MRI shows the original cancer in my left breast measuring about 2 CM in addition to another "suspicious" area measuring 4 mm.  There is also a 6 mm area on my right breast that was identified.  As a result of these new findings I have changed my planned surgery from a unilateral mastectomy with flap reconstruction to a bilateral mastectomy with implants.  I will not know the stage of my cancer until after surgery as this depends on the size of my tumor/tumors and lymph node involvement.  My surgery is planned for on 8/1 at Fox Chase Cancer Center.