After Asked By My Physician To Do Additional Breast Cancer Screenings, How Do I Truly Know I Don't Have Breast Cancer?

Oct. 6, 2007— -- Question from bevpowell7:I had my first clean PET/CT Scan Aug. 1st, 2007. I had my annual mammogram on Sept. 28th and a sonogram and breast MRI were added becasue of my recent breast cancer history. Now I have to go back for a targeted ultrasound because they want to look at a lymph node that is on my right side where the lupectomy and sentinal node biospy were done last year. It is near the incision and I have been told it looks to be benign and does not look to be cancer, but of course I am a nervous wreck over this.

Can they really look at it and say it is not the color of a cancer node or they know for sure it is not cancer but just want to watch it, it is less than 1 cm in size. Tuesday cannot come fast enough for me. I was also told that this happenes frequently and they are usually begnin or even scar tissue. Anyone else had this happen?

Answer from Karleen Habin, R.N., nurse consultant for OnCall+: Breast Cancer: Well, by the time you get this response, you might know the outcome of your tests. We wish you the best.

After the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer -- the subsequent follow-up is rarely without anxiety. How can you deal with these feelings? I have enclosed a wonderful resource from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) - People Living with Cancer - resource on "Coping with the fear of recurrence": http://www.plwc.org/portal/site/PLWC/menuitem.034b98abc65a8f566343cc10ee37a01d/?vgnextoid=871803e8448d9010VgnVCM100000f2730ad1RCRD

Many of us think, that the best way to deal with fear, is knowledge. Know what to expect -- and know how you too can help to monitor your progress.