One or Both?

Alaina

I have IDC, Stage 3b, T4, N1, M0 breast cancer in my left breast and in one axillary lymph node.

I am 39 years old, single, never married, no kids. Premenopausal (although I'm in chemopause at the moment).

I am on a 6 session regimen of TCH, after which I will have either a partial or bilateral mastectomy (right now scheduled for late August). After that, rads, reconstruction, and Tamoxifen for 5 years.

I am trying to decide if I only want to have my left breast removed or both. My right breast consistently has shown no cancerous involvement with the various scans and exams I've had.

I have been reading and hearing from various sources that my chances of recurrence are the same whether or I have the right breast removed or not. That I'm not really saving myself or reducing my probability of recurrence by taking that breast off.

I plan on reconstruction and know they can reduce and lift my right breast to match my newly reconstructed left.

I guess I just need to hear from other survivors who had to make this decision under similar circumstances and what reasoning/logic/emotions they used to make the decision.

All opinions, advice, suggestions, links to resources, are welcomed and needed!

Thanks! Alaina

rogam

Hello. I had both removed after finding out that I was triple negative. I was a 40 D and could not imagine life with boobs. I had the surgery in Dec.09 with immediate reconstruction. Well there was a problem with the expanders and I had them removed 3 months later. I am currently allowing my body to rest! I feel fine without them and at this I am leaning towards no reconstruction. Oh yeah by the way I am 37 married with 1 daughter. Let  me know i can answer any questions for you. Be blessed.

Indomitable1

I, too, elected to remove BOTH even before learning of my triple negative status. Having lost a dear friend to BC I knew that I just wanted to get it off. And having had 40H fibrocystic liabilities, I didn't have any special attachment. I had my babies, breast fed each. Since I would have to have a reduction on the left anyway, I just went ahead and removed both. I didn't have neo-adjuvant chemo. Will consider reconstruction in the future but at this point-not sure.  

Lcharmie

Hi Alaina,

I had to have my left breast removed after a 2nd occurance of cancer.  At the time the Dr. was deciding on what kind of Chemo I would get, and was checking my right breast and found a lump in it,--it was malignant.  This was 3 weeks after the 1st masectomy---because there had been unanswered questions about the difference of not knowing the"cancer tissue, from the radiated tissue", I decided not to go through that again (when the tumor was growing in my left breast) the Radiation Oncologist said it was looking like this, "due to radiation"---Not!!  I had one node affected in the right breast, which at that time would have not called for surgery of that breast, but I knew I would have had to have radiation again, and I did not want that nightmare of unknown, so I chose for the mastectomy.  I have been very satisfied with my prosthesis and I have pretty bras for them, I am older and OK with this.  I was 40DD--it certainly was a life changing situation--it has been 7 years, the 31st of this month for the 1st mastectomy--then June 18 for the 2nd mastectomy.

It is almost like your gut will tell you what to do at the time.

Best to you on your decision.

Take care.

Linda C

Alaina

Thanks everyone for sharing your stories!  I am still leaning towards having both removed.

Calif-Sherry

Alaina, I had both my breasts removed.  The right breast was not cancerous, but calcifications.  Sometimes, I miss my breasts.  But, if I would have kept the right breast, i would have been more afraid than I am right now.  The bottom line, you make the decision that feels right for you.