From Budapest, Hungary
Budapest, Hungary, dx 2/18/10
My journey with ASC started late December 2009. One evening I took a shower, and felt something hard in my breast. The diagnosis took almost two months. I went to see my gynacologist, who first thought that it was a beningn tumor because it hurt. He referred me to have a biopsy which came back negative because as it later turned out the Pathologists were not actually able to make a diagnosis, because the doctor missed the tumor and took a sample from next to it. At that time I had just arrived home from the Far-East, my doctor sent me to the Tropical Department, assuming that the lump was actually a parasite I brought back with me. This was the moment when I felt I needed to see another doctor. I found a very nice doctor in the Hungarian Institute of Oncology. They have done an ultrasound, MRI,a mammography and a biopsy. On February 18th, I was sitting in the office, when she called me that the results of my biopsy had arrived and I have Angiosarcoma. Since I have never heard about this disease, I was optimistic, and asked, that is it a benign tumor? No, she answered, you have cancer. I was shocked. I went home, googled my disease, and found terrible things about it. It has very poor 5 years prognosis, it can metastasize very easily etc….
She then referred me to see an oncologist for the treatment and assured me that I would be in good hands. When I last saw her I thanked her for all the help and told her how greatful I was that we met, she told me, that she is happy as well, because my previous doctor would have misdiagnosed me..
The next day I went to see the oncologist and told him that I was on the net all night, and read horribe things about my disease. He told me (and later my surgeon as well): Stop reading the internet! It is filled with half informations. He set me at ease, that I have good chance to cure. He also told me that he has been practicing for 30 years, and has not met this kind of disease yet. I am his first patient, I am unique.
He suggested a surgeon, who operated on me on March 16th. My results arrived two weeks later. It is low grade ASC, I had a 3 cm tumor and clean margins. I am receiving radiotherapy as treatments (60 Gy). No chemo needed.
According to my oncologist I have very good chance to cure, since I caught it at a very early stage, and it has not metastasized.
I feel very lucky, because I have a great oncologist and surgeon. They are not only professionals but helped me with their personality as well.