On 11/8/2008
bella62 wrote:
I am 46 years old, just had a mamogram and sonogram for the first time.It was determined that my results was suspicious and a biopsy was recommended. My results came back and it was determined that I have ADH level 4 and another biopsy was recommended to remove the suspicious mass which I was told is a simple out patient procedure.
Should I get a second opinion and are there any other alternative or options in term of medication or vitamins that I can take to avoid the biopsy?
And If I opt out of the biopsy will I contract cancer at some point?
ADH is considered by some physicians to be a "pre-cancer", yet not by others. Many physicians believe that women with ADH are much more prone to develop cancer. (The statistic I saw was about 5.3 times more likely to develop cancer with ADH.) Statistics have also shown that ADH is more likely to become cancer for premenopausal women than postmenopausal women. At 46 that might still be an important consideration for you, especially if you have not yet begun menopause.
Another indicator for what ADH might mean for you has to do with how it was diagnosed. When ADH is found through needle aspiration biopsy or core biopsy, the consensus is that open surgical biopsy is then indicated, as 20 - 28% of women have been found to have cancer cells next to it, or even an in situ or invasive cancer already developing. (With larger surgical biopsy you can be more confident that the whole area has been removed.) Even if you choose to get a 2nd opinion, I think you will likely hear that removal of the mass is indicated.
If you choose not to have the mass removed, you will need close follow up to make sure that if this does convert to cancer, you can get treatment as soon as possible (follow up would include physical exam at least every six months and yearly mammogram/sonogram.)
Some women choose not to have the ADH removed but rather to have this treated with tamoxifen. Statistics show that women with ADH who took tamoxifen for 5 years had 86% decrease in subsequent breast cancers than those who had no treatment, so it certainly is worth considering this approach.
Right now, as long as there are no actual cancer cells that have escaped diagnosis, this mass can't metastasize. Regardless of what you do, your focus needs to be on ensuring that it doesn't convert so that it can metastasize. Tamoxifen seems to do that. Removing the mass most likely will also do that - as long as it's certain that it is totally pre-cancerous. Here again, removal of the mass has the advantage of allowing visualization/biopsy of the tissue around the mass, to make sure that there is no cancer that wasn't seen on mammogram or sonogram.
There is natural therapy/approach that may well be able to keep this from converting to cancer, and perhaps even cause the ADH to reverse. (Yes, this IS reversible.) A much less painful way of approaching the problem (even with tamoxifen you might have some trouble some side effects resembling menopause), and much less expensive than surgery, but it also needs to become a way of life rather than something you can do for a few months. In fact, regardless of whether or not you have the mass removed, I would recommend adopting this natural kind of lifestyle to help prevent any other problems in the future. This approach includes diet (the closer you can get to a true vegan diet, the better,) some supplementation, and inclusion of herbs known to help prevent cancer.
My best recommendation would be to seek out a holistic practitioner for some advice. A naturopathic oncologist would be best. If that's not possible, seek out a naturopathic dr, a homeopath, or even some osteopaths have experience with this. You could also get a consult from someone experienced in traditional chinese medicine or ayurvedic medicine. If you have access to an extremely reputable and experienced herbalist, they might also be able to guide you.
If you're overweight, you need to lose the extra pounds - obesity has definitely been shown to be a factor in breast cancer. You need to increase intake of cruciferous vegetables and fresh, raw fruit (any kind of berry with the seeds, pineapple, papaya, citrus fruit, and an apple/day - eat the seeds, too.) High intake of carotenoids and lycopene (tomatoes) is especially helpful. Increase dietary intake of vitamin E and A helps, along with vitamin C-3 and calcium. Five minerals and one vitamin that EVERYONE needs to prevent or fight cancer are: selenium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and vitamin D-3. Exercies if very important, also. One study showed that women who got 4 or more hours of exercise/week had a 58% decrease in breast cancer. Hydration is extremely important. Unless you have a kidney problem, 80 to 100 ounces of pure fresh (non-chlorinated) water a day is ideal. (Steam-distilled or reverse osmosed is best.)
Most of my research on naturals and alternatives has been aimed at already diagnosed cancers rather than prevention, but there are many things I do in my personal natural regimen that are good for cancer prevention as well as treatment. I have published my regimen on my blog, if you want to read through it to get some ideas on simple and inexpensive things you can start doing right now to improve your breast health.
http://motherearthtreasurechest.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-pers
(I am NOT suggesting my regimen as a prescription for others, but rather as an example. Also, I still recommend that you talk to a naturopath yourself, as you may have health considerations or factors other than this ADH that should be taken into account.)
www.lefcancer.org is an excellent site that talks much about using naturals in prevention as well as treatment. "Dr Susan Love's Breast Book" 4th edition, by Dr Susan Love is considered by many women to be the "bible" on breast health. (It is my primary reference for this reply to your message, but you will find MUCH more of value in the book than what I have written.)
I hope this helps, and I wish you the best. Feel free to contact me by private reply if you have more questions. There is also a link to my email on my blog.
Sincerely,
Tre