The First Surgery: Fall of 2021

A Discovery 

Before October 2021, I had never heard of a phyllodes tumor.  However, in late August or early September of that year, I found a lump in my right breast.  My primary care physician, Dr. B, sent me to get imaging. I jumped at the first available appointment, even though it meant traveling to a small suburban area on the other side of the Austin metro area on a Saturday.  After the imaging, the radiologist spoke with me and explained she couldn't identify the lump without an additional procedure.  A few days later, I had a core biopsy and waited nervously for the results.  Dr. B called a day or two later to inform me that I had something called a phyllodes tumor.  He referred me to a surgeon, Dr. W, who would handle the removal of the tumor in a procedure called a lumpectomy.

What the Heck is a Phyllodes Tumor?

Dr. W explained he would remove the tumor on a Friday, and I could return to work the following Monday with minimal restrictions.  I was eager to return to my regular life, which was extremely busy during that time.   I was a wife, mother, assistant principal, and doctoral student.  I felt pulled in a million different directions and didn't think I had time to have surgery and recover.  I felt guilt for not investigating the lump sooner, for putting my husband in the position of having to be a caregiver, and for knowing that I would be less able to do all the duties involved with my job until I had recovered.  I understood very little about phyllodes tumors in the Fall of 2021, beyond these simple facts, which had been explained by my doctors and by what I found in some simple online searches:

• Phyllodes tumors are rare.  
• Most phyllodes tumors are benign.  
• Surgical removal is the treatment for phyllodes tumors.
• Physicians recommend removal because phyllodes tumors grow quickly.

After the Procedure

The procedure in October 2021 was quick, and I went home the same day.  Dr. W told my husband that the tumor was shaped like a barbell.  I don't really remember speaking to Dr. W about the tumor until a later follow-up appointment.  He felt I was recovering nicely, and he said the pathology showed that the tumor was not cancerous.  As I recovered and became increasingly aware of the space where the tumor had been, I felt like part of the tumor remained.  A hard spot was right next to the softer place where the tumor had been. Sometimes I could feel it, but not always.  I convinced myself that the harder tissue I sometimes felt was simply what my breast tissue was going to feel like following the procedure.