Dear Dr. SerVaas: I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and am undergoing treatment and surgeries. I would greatly appreciate any information you can provide. I am new to all this and, at age 32, was not at all expecting to have to deal with cancer.I have made my career my top priority since high school. Now I can truly say that all the long hours just don't matter. To all the workaholics out there, please remember to live a healthy, balanced life. Again, I would appreciate anything at all you could offer me.TiffanyIndianapolis, IndianaDear Reader: I'm happy to respond to your e-mail and offer my humble advice. I would begin reading and studying everything available about past experiments and current research on breast cancer.Keep optimistic. I have a dear friend and neighbor who had breast cancer and surgery nearly 40 years ago. A few years ago, she won the backstroke competition in the Master Swimmers' Program in Ft. Lauderdale in the 80-and-over age group.My secretary of 25 years is also a breast cancer survivor. When I went to the hospital for her surgery, we were relieved to learn that her tumor did not contain the most aggressive type of breast cancer cells. The most difficult part of her recovery was due to pain from muscles taken from her back for breast reconstruction. My advice to you, should you ever opt for a mastectomy, would be to purchase the best, prettiest padded bras you can find and forego the pain of breast reconstruction with borrowed muscle tissue from other body parts.When this current health problem is handled, I would advise you to go back to school. Consider studying breast cancer genetics and join the effort to discover a cure and ways to prevent this pervasive disease that affects so many women and their families. If I were 32 years old, I would put less important activities on hold and cocoon with medical books and become very involved in breast cancer research at a major university medical center.You might ask our archivist Steve Pettinga to send you a copy of the Jan./Feb. 2002 Post article "Surviving Breast Cancer."
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