"Isn't carcinoma in situ the mildest form? Then why did I have four surgeries in four months?"
Many people know I've had breast cancer for 11 years.
But few know that I, diagnosed with stage 0 carcinoma in situ, underwent four surgeries in just four months.
It started because an ultrasound revealed an abnormality.
I had a core needle biopsy and mammogram, both of which showed no abnormalities, but the doctor thought the tumor was indeed too large and still recommended surgical removal.
Unexpectedly, the post-operative pathology report revealed it was stage 0 carcinoma in situ.
Generally, carcinoma in situ is considered a relatively easy cancer to treat, but after the first surgery, the doctor told me:
"The cancer cells are larger than we thought."
He had already performed a large resection, removing about the size of a palm, but the pathology report showed that cancer cells were still detectable at the excision margins.
In other words, the cancer cells weren't completely removed.
So, a month later, I underwent a second surgery.
With drainage tubes hanging from my body again, the time spent waiting for the results was agonizing. When the results came back, the doctor told me:
"Cancer cells are still detected."
Hearing that, I felt like the sky had fallen.
The doctor admitted that the two surgeries combined had removed tissue the size of two palms. In his experience, such extensive removal should theoretically leave no residual cancer cells.
He even told me he had never encountered this situation before.
He then recommended a total mastectomy, along with axillary lymph node removal.
But for me at that time, the cost of total axillary lymph node removal was too high.
I asked the doctor:
"Can't we do a sentinel lymph node examination first?"
He told me that because of the previous two surgeries, the sentinel lymph node pathway might have been affected, so a total removal was the only option.
But I couldn't let it go.
So I started seeking a second opinion!
I went to two different hospitals and consulted different breast surgeons.
And their answers were different.
They believed the sentinel lymph nodes could still be found, and a complete axillary lymph node removal wasn't necessarily necessary.
Finally, I decided to change hospitals and doctors.
I underwent a third surgery: a total mastectomy plus sentinel lymph node examination.
Fortunately, no cancer cells were detected in the sentinel lymph nodes, thus preserving the axillary lymph nodes.
However, unexpectedly, the pathology report after the total mastectomy still showed cancer cells.
The doctor told me I had two options:
One was to undergo radiotherapy.
The other was to have another surgery.
Because I knew radiotherapy could also have side effects, I ultimately chose a fourth surgery.
This time, part of my pectoral muscle tissue was removed.
And after this, the cancer cells finally disappeared completely.
Four surgeries in just four months.
My health deteriorated significantly as a result.
That year, I was particularly prone to colds and extremely sensitive to cold.
In winter, I once wore five layers of clothing, two coats, two pairs of pants, plus thick socks, yet I was still so cold that my limbs were almost numb.
Many people believe that carcinoma in situ is the mildest form of cancer.
But my case was a unique one, one that many doctors had never encountered before.
Looking back, my biggest takeaway is:
Don't ignore the signals your body sends.
Face it, check it, and treat it!
Because early detection is always better than waiting until it's too late.
I also hope my story will encourage more people to value their health.
Some paths are tough, but as long as you're willing to face them, you have a chance to get through them.
And I—I really did make it through ❤️
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