Breast cancer exactly 1 year after covid icu

[Ccie]

Its been 1 year exactly since being in icu coma due to covid, and now i have breast cancer! Was i exposed to so much radiation with chest xrays thats caused this. No family members whatsoever have cancer in either my parents side of the family.

Omg! Chemo and breast removal. Im so devasted. I need an answer.

57 years old, never overindulge in junk. Walk a bit every day. Drink water. Eat fruit. How is this possible?

Just got back to work 6 months ago and now?

[Rhyl1 Partner Moderator ICUsteps]

I’m sorry to hear you’ve developed breast cancer.

There has been research on the amount of radiation received by ICU patients over their stay and real concern is in children rather than adults. This is because they are just more vulnerable to radiation. Chest X-rays are done sparing in ICU and only where really needed to guide further treatment to try to reduce exposure. The amount of radiation exposure from one chest x-ray is very small compared to other types of x-ray. The amount of radiation to increase the risk of developing breast cancer comes from previous treatment using radiation therapy. Women who had radiation therapy to the chest or breasts (for instance, treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma) before age 30 have a higher risk of getting breast cancer later in life.

There is no evidence in the professional literature that critical illness and its treatment increases the risk of developing breast cancer.

However it’s not known at the moment if COVID‐19 increases the risk of cancer in those without previous history of malignancies. High levels of cytokines in the plasma of patients in the acute phase of COVID-19 as well as tissue damage and chronic low‐grade inflammation in “long COVID‐19” syndrome may facilitate cancer development. The research is still to come on this question.

[Ccie in reply to Rhyl1]

Oh woaw, thanks so so much for the heads up.

Its really burning as to how and where its come from. God works in His own ways.

[Sepsur]

I have no idea about the increased risk to you and Rhyl1 is in a much better position to answer that. I have a type of lymphoma & leukaemia that was found whilst I was in ICU. The fact that your breast cancer has been found early is always a more positive thing. Thanks to many of the newer treatments available, I am in remission.

I wish you well in the future weeks.

[Ccie in reply to Sepsur]

Thank you. Have i found it early. Feels the size of a golf ball and its in my lymphe node under near my underarm.

My husband is staying clear of me as if i can infect him with it!

I hope you are well.

Take care

[Sepsur in reply to Ccie]

yeh - people react viscerally - cancer is such a highly charged word - we have a systems of support networks called The Maggie Centres which support families too

[SJKK]

Sorry to hear about your breast cancer. I’m just recovering from my own breast cancer - diagnosed 2 years after my ICU stay for lymphoma.

I’m not aware of any reports in the medical literature linking COVID and breast cancer. Unfortunately the risk for breast cancer in women is 1 in 8 and 85% of cases have no family history. You did everything right - ate well, exercised - and this will help with your recovery. But ultimately, as my oncologist eloquently put it. you developed breast cancer simply because you have boobs.

Hope your treatments go well - you’ve got this!

[Ccie in reply to SJKK]

Thank you so much. Just so stressed. Reading up on diet etc before i go for my final show down of the action plan.

Yeah, boobs, always been a big issue. People would say, they would see my boobs enter a room before my face.

Hope you are well now.

Take care

[Ta-thanx]

You don't need any history of cancer in your family for it to make an appearance, its just a swine.

I have had Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for liver cancer recently at the Christie and I'm still in that waiting time to see how things are going, things seem to be going well they just need more time which is a killer for the mind.

I'm going for another MRI later today.

I hope you and your family get through this rough time, it affects others around you too.

Sorry if this is a bit of a ramble but I'm not 100% myself.

[Ccie in reply to Ta-thanx]

Oh i hope all goes well for you.

I believe the waiting just adds to the stress.

I had a PET scan yesterday, they found nodes in my chest area....they are doing a biopsy next week. I was told it coukd be from my covid last year but not sure. Has my cancer been a result from this?

I was informed that only 5% of cancer is genetic.

So where is this cancer originating from with so many of us being diagnosed. I heard lots of younger women are being diagnosed.

Ive had my kids and pretty much enjoyed my life, but, what is this to look forward to when you are in your 30's? Yeak!

[Grant_za in reply to Ccie]

Hi Ccie.

Your cancer is highly unlikely to be caused by, or related to covid, or the treatment of covid.

You mention many more younger people are being diagnosed with cancer - how true or untrue that may be, I have no idea.

Let's assume it to be correct.

There are many factors that can lead to an increase of illnesses affecting a group of people. This could range from environmental conditions to diet - and all the additives we consume when eating.

I'll give an example - here in South Africa we are famous for our apartheid legacy. White people lived on European type diets, black people not so much. White people filled the cardiac wards needing all manner of cardiac surgery - mostly from high cholesterol diets. It was rare to see black people needing cardiac surgery.

All that changed in the 90s, with a rapidly emerging black middle class. They too were then consuming the same diets as the white people had been. Along with that, they were soon following into cardiac wards, needing the same treatment as the white people.

So here we have an entire population group whose medical requirements were radically affected by something as seemingly innocuous as a change in diet.

I'm obviously using this to illustrate as to how a group of similar people can suddenly see an increase of specific medical conditions.

As to yourself, you will be afraid, you will be stressed, you will be angry and confused - these are all natural reactions to you sudden & unexpected change of circumstances.

Join a peer support group where you can have open and frank discussions. If you are uncomfortable with aspects of diagnosis & treatment plans, seek second opinion - you owe it to yourself.

Best of luck & don't lose faith.

[Ccie in reply to Ta-thanx]

all good.

i hope things are looking up for you.

yes a long road for my family.

had my 1st chemo yesterday but they had to stop it as i had a burning reaction which was too intense. The sides of my back just killed when i breathed in. They gave me a syrong pain killer which took 15 min to work, you can imagine, longest 15 min in my life for relief...slept it off. Better today. Dreading next weeks chemo..its either that or give in.

im a fighter, hope you are.

take care.

[Ccie]

thank you so much.

yes im so stressed, trying to find how i gor breast cancer. Such a shock.

have to deal with it now, another curve ball.