Once I got my diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma, I was immensely scared of dying. I was shocked and sad about the diagnosis. I was sure I needed a double mastectomy, because I never wanted to get diagnosed with another breast cancer. My doctors did not recommend a double mastectomy. I only had the left mastectomy. I started tamoxifen a few weeks after surgery.

Now, two years since the diagnosis, I am confident that I will not be diagnosed with a cancer in my remaining (right) breast. There are two strategies in place for me at this time that lower my fear of another breast cancer developing. First, I now have a breast cancer screening plan that was developed with my oncologist, to best screen my dense breast tissue. This involves MRI and contrast-enhanced mammography. Secondly, and equally as important, I am taking tamoxifen. Tamoxifen is prescribed as my anti-estrogen or hormonal therapy, to reduce the risk of that prior breast cancer showing up somewhere else in my body. At the same time, tamoxifen has an effect on the tissue in my right breast, to halt the development of cancer. The way tamoxifen benefits my breast tissue will provide reduced risk of cancer in that breast for several years.

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