Lobular and Ductual Cancer

[Irishgal2]

Just heard that a friend has been diagnoised with BC aged 37.  She has both ductual and lobular cancer in same breast.  She has had a masectomy and sentenial node biopsy which is also positive.  Lymph nodes to be removed this week.

How common is it for a person to be diagnoised with both Lobular and Ductual BC at same time and how does this affect the persons prognosis?

Tks

[SueYoung55]

I'm sorry about your friends diagnosis. I've heard of both being found at the same time. Is she HER2 positive or negative? What size are her cancers?

Your friend is very young and really needs to get tested for BRCA 1 & 2 mutations. It's a blood test and it may help her determine treatments and future decisions.

Best wishes.

[Irishgal2]

Thanks for your response.  I know one lymph node is involved and two were clear.  The rest were being removed today.  I was diagnoised with BC myself in March 2007, but had not heard of someone getting two types simultaneously.

So what I understand from you is the cancer staging process is the same irrespective of the two types of BC?

The reason I ask is that my very good friend is going to ask me about this as it is her best friend that is diagnoised and to be honest the two girls have been through so much in the past 2 years with my best friends little boy Alex dying of cancer (neuroblastoma) aged 7.  The first anniversary was on Friday gone.  I know my friend is worried that her friend may have got the cancer due to the stress of supporting her family and child during the terrible illness and the subsequent death.   What can I say to this?

Your advise is most welcome.

[japdip]

Although it doesn't happen often I certainly wouldn't say that it is unusual or rare. The prognosis would depend on many, many factors and not just the fact that the two were found at the same time. The lymph node involvement would be of more importance but in the end it depends upon the response of the cancers to the treatment. The pt.s Oncologist would be the best source of information concerning the projected outcome.  Regards ....