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Making Decisions About Breast Cancer Treatment
Two Survivors Celebrate LifeSue Morey (right in photo) and her mother-in-law, Vivian Morey, had different experiences of breast cancer treatment, but both are clearly in vibrant health today. Sue Morey is a professional writer who’s written several stories for Healthy You. The excerpt below is from her personal journal. To read more of it, click here. 
The Decision-Making Process
It’s up to you to…
You’re Not Alone The Breast Cancer Consultative Service, a team of cancer professionals who review your case and recommend a course of treatment. This “second opinion” service can help you decide what’s right for you. The Support of Survivors (SOS) Helpline, a free phone line that connects you with a knowledgeable, trained survivor. Talking to someone who’s “been there” can be extremely helpful. Call 610-402-4SOS (4767). How things have changed! When I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, I was faced with a lot of decision-making. “Now, surgery is just the first step,” says oncologist Gregory Harper, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “Our main focus is not simply to remove the cancer but to prevent it from recurring.” Thanks to better detection methods, cancers are found much earlier (and smaller) now than when my mother-in-law was diagnosed. That means most women—including me—only need a lumpectomy and radiation. I didn’t have to deal with losing a breast. But my doctors and I did have a lot of choices to make. Cancers vary widely, and treatment choices depend on the stage and characteristics of your particular cancer. Besides surgery, the options today include: chemotherapy, before the surgery to shrink the tumor and/or afterward to eliminate any stray cancer cells; radiation after surgery, to kill any cancer cells left in the breast; hormone therapy (for estrogen-sensitive cancer) to reduce the chances of the cancer recurring. Because there were microscopic cancer cells in my lymph node, the doctors recommended chemotherapy. My heart sank; I was prepared for five weeks of radiation after surgery, but not for 12 weeks of chemo. Ultimately, I did decide to go ahead with it. Here’s how I worked through my decision-making process: I took time to absorb it all, resisting my usual impulse to decide quickly and “get on with it.” I wrote in my journal, acknowledging my initial anger and budding hopefulness. I meditated to calm my mind and spirit. I prayed. I involved my family and friends. They were all willing to listen as I talked things through. “Even women with supportive partners often need someone else to help them process everything,” says Diane Brong, clinical social worker for the cancer support team at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. I called women I knew who are survivors. They all shared their experiences and gave me hope. I chose to be positive and hopeful. That helped me be an active member of the team that would see me through treatment. I began considering myself a survivor soon after I was diagnosed. Today—healthy and energetic and with a new covering of thick, but very short hair—I feel empowered to handle any future crisis. I’m looking forward to my mother-in-law’s 84th birthday, when we’ll celebrate her many years as a survivor.
Want to Know More about breast cancer care at Lehigh Valley Hospital? Call 610-402-CARE. Besides those named, we thank the other professionals who served as resources for this story: Lorraine Gyauch, R.N., Support of Survivors Helpline; Neddy Mack, R.N., program director, Breast Health Services; Dorothy Morrone, R.N., Breast Cancer Consultative Service coordinator. This page last updated 10/3/08 08:39 AM
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