Barbara Petzoldt, LLL Leader wrote:

> A mother from a LLL Group found a lump in her breast recently.    Saw
> Dr. and was diagnosed yesterday following a ultrasound and needle biopsy
> as having Ductal Cancer.   Told to wean immediately and then contact
> Dr. for treatment.   He mentioned possible lumpectomy or mastectomy.

Barbara,

What kind of treatment is she going to have?  She will probably consult with
a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist, as well as her surgeon, to
determine appropriate treatment.

Chemotherapy, of course, is contraindicated during breastfeeding.  According
to the BAB, page 454, she can continue breastfeeding during radiation as
long as only one breast is being radiated.  The BAB has 2 1/2 pages on
breastfeeding and cancer.

I also highly recommend Susan Love's The Breast Book.  She does recommend
weaning during cancer treatment (including radiation).  Check page 353 of
her book.  Also, she's not overwhelmingly supportive of breastfeeding but
the info on breast cancer is  good.   It's been my constant companion since
my mother's diagnosis of breast cancer 6 weeks ago and my own frequent
breast lumps.  My mother's doctor thinks her info is outdated...it may be, I
have no way to know, but the definitions and explanations are easy to
understand.  I was thrilled to see it in paperback--much cheaper than the
hardback as it is a huge book.  Susun Weed has a newish book on breast
cancer and breast health.  I consult one or the other book on a daily basis.

Kathy, who was told by a surgeon 3 weeks ago that my current breast lump was
my rib...go figure...a pea sized/shaped rib that I can get my fingers
around.


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kathy Koch, BSEd, IBCLC
LLL Leader, AAPL
mailto:[log in to unmask]          Great Mills, MD, USA
"Within the child lies the fate of the future."   Maria Montessori
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~