I'm Learning About Cancer and So Can You! Part 2
It's your host Anna back with another round of I'M. LEARNING. ABOUT. CANCER. AND. SO. CAN. YOU! Did you read that in a gameshow host voice? If not, run it back one more time, please. In all seriousness though, this ish just continues to be the least simplest thing. There are so many complexities to the process, so here is another list of things I, the lay-wo-man, am learning.
- Mammograms are our most effective screening tool for breast cancer, but it's possible for Mammos to miss things (aka masses, suspicious blobs, etc) that MRI's will pick up on, as happened with Kris, where they found Blob Loblaw the weird blob. But then an ultrasound may be needed on THAT area to study those findings closer and figure out if a biopsy of that blob is necessary. My brain immediately questioned why not just cut to the chase, then, and do an MRI right off the bat? But Kris informed me that these are very expensive and involved and maybe not the most efficient for initial checks. (note from Kris: Also I can't tell which was more uncomfortable, but at least mammo was done faster?)
- Kris will (one day) have surgery to remove her small blob of a tumor. Once the tumor is extracted (GET IT OUT OF HER ALREADY ahem), they will run something called an "oncopanel" on it which will determine the genetic makeup of the tumor and the little beast's Recurrence Score (this sounds like a Cosmopolitan article for tumors. Take this test to find your Recurrence Score, ladies!). From there, they will determine best route for treatment (no chemo no chemo no chemo). Kris, while you are reading this for approval, I would like to know if you will be able to see the tumor once it's out? (note from Kris: Oh good question. I'm guessing I'll be out for the surgery so probably not, but when I got my gallbladder out, the surgeon took all kinds of pictures for me so maybe this surgeon will be willing?)
- there are a lot of birds with the word "tit" in their name
- breast cancer can begin in the ducts (which carry milk from the lobule where it's made to the nipple). It is the more commonly seen type of breast cancer, and it can remain in the duct (in situ) or it can break out of the duct (invasive). It can also occur in the lobules (again, where the milk is made) and, very rarely, in the connective tissue (called Sarcoma)
- not all cancer cells look the same, they each are unique snowflakes just like you and I, except TERRIBLE SNOWFLAKES. GET OUT OF MY FRIEND. Their appearance is known as their subtype and also offers docs quite a lot of info on prognosis.
- I said it before, but I'll say it again this time, there is a whole lot of dancing around the boobs and prodding the boobs and talking about the boobs before actually opening them up and cutting this. Shit. OUT. I really can't express enough how much this absoboobly astounds me. They treat each person, each tumor, each type of cancer so uniquely. As impatient as the caring friend part of me might feel for them to make it all stop, I'm really really happy that Kris is in such well-equipped hands, however medically gropey they may be.
Until next time, folks!