Double Mastectomy vs Lumpectomy

psbhcole

I was diagnosed with IDC, Her2neu positive, 1 node, and Bracca negative on September 19th. I have no family history of breast cancer.  I am 4 treatments into a 6 treatment chemo plan.  My last treatment is scheduled for January 17, 2013.  I am to meet with my surgeon on the 28th of this month to discuss my surgery.  I am seriously in limbo on this decision.  I don't know what to do. I know it is a very personal decision but I was hoping I could get some input on why different women chose what they did.  I am not looking for anyone to tell me what to do just different takes on the subject so I can make a decision based on history and some kind of research.

Thank you all in advance! As all of you know, this has been quite a journey and I just want to do what is best for me and know that I have made the correct decision.

ali68

Hi Hun, you will get lots of different reasons for both. Me I had a complete response with the chemo so I went for Lumpectomy.

Moderators

Hello psbhcole, and welcome to Breastcancer.org. As well as the experiences you'll hear from other members, the article Mastectomy vs. Lumpectomy from the main Breastcancer.org site may give you helpful insights about the deciding factors, advantages and disadvantages of both options.

Best wishes, whatever you decide!

• The Mods

psbhcole

Thank you Ali and Mods!

Ali, I realize I will get all kinds of reasons and that is what I am looking for.  I just want to make sure I know all sides of both decisions. 

Mods, I have read the article and it is very helpful.  I find this site to be one of the best I have encountered. I haven't done too much internet research. When I was diagnosed I was given a small list of "safe" sites to visit. I don't want to get out there and read too much and just end of getting more scared and nervous than I already am.

dltnhm

There is a wonderful gal on here named Bessie. She has put together a piece that may help you as you are looking at this decision.



Much of it has to do with umx or bmx, but I believe that you may find some food for thought.



I can't link you to it - but Bessie is quite active, so I am confident she will be along to post.



My initial diagnosis following repeat mammogram, ultrasound, and mammogram was promising for a lumpectomy. That was where I was headed but due to my very dense breast tissue my BS ordered a breast MRI. That revealed another area of cancer in the same breast.

I changed to a umx due to the two areas and my relatively small breast size as well as the invasive component to my breast cancer which was more than likely more than what we could see.



Despite no lumps or bumps in my breast or nodes and no palpable swelling, I had positive lymph nodes and LVI. Although I would have rather had a lumpectomy, I am thankful that I had the umx considering everything that was revealed in the final surgical pathology.



Still ... I am also quite content to have chosen a umx rather than a bmx. Knowing the odds of a primary breast cancer in the other breast occurring are rare, I preferred to keep my healthy breast. For me in my life it was an obvious choice.



I pray that you will come to peace in your decision making as you seek information and think of what this means to you.



What is most important is not how many women choose one over another. (not suggesting you are polling or counting). I applaud your research! Or even why they choose it. Ultimately it is important that you are comfortable with your decision.



Hugs and prayers!!

psbhcole

I so appreciate your openess and honesty.  I am not polling but rather trying to find peace and comfort with my decision.  I think I am leaning more towards the bmx.  I think I would do both just because I would be afraid of them looking different especially as I grow older. 

I do hope that Bessie sees my post and lets me know how to find her article.

Beesie

psbhcole, here's the post of mine that dltnhm was referring to:

This is a list of considerations that I put together a while ago for someone who was making the surgical choice between a lumpectomy, mastectomy and bilateral mastectomy.  I've posted this many times now and have continued to refine it and add to it, thanks to great input from many others.  Some women have gone through the list and decided to have a lumpectomy, others have chosen a single mastectomy and others have opted for a bilateral mastectomy. So the purpose is simply to help women figure out what's right for them - both in the short term but more importantly, over the long term.  

psbhcole, you mention that you want to "make a decision based on history and some kind of research" and I realize that one thing I haven't included in my very long list is any research. What the research has consistently shown is that long-term survival is the same regardless of the type of surgery one has. This is largely because it's not the breast cancer in the breast that affects survival, but it's the breast cancer that's left the breast that is the concern. The risk is that some BC might have moved beyond the breast prior to surgery. So the type of surgery one has, whether it's a lumpectomy or a MX or a BMX, doesn't affect survival rates.  Here are a few studies that compare the different surgical approaches:

No Survival Benefit For Mastectomy Over Lumpectomy

Twenty-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Trial Comparing Total Mastectomy, Lumpectomy, and Lumpectomy plus Irradiation for the Treatment of Invasive Breast Cancer

Twenty-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Study Comparing Breast-Conserving Surgery with Radical Mastectomy for Early Breast Cancer

Now, on to my list of the considerations:

• Do you want to avoid radiation? If your cancer isn't near the chest wall and if your nodes are clear, then it may be possible to avoid radiation if you have a mastectomy. This is a big selling point for many women who choose to have mastectomies. However you should be aware that there is no guarantee that radiation may not be necessary even if you have a mastectomy, if some cancer cells are found near the chest wall, or if the area of invasive cancer is very large and/or if it turns out that you are node positive (particularly several nodes).
• Do you want to avoid hormone therapy (Tamoxifen or an AI) or Herceptin or chemo? It is very important to understand that if it's believed necessary or beneficial for you to have chemo or take hormone therapy, it won't make any difference if you have a lumpectomy or a mastectomy or a bilateral mastectomy.  (Note that the exception is women with DCIS or possibly very early Stage I invasive cancer, who may be able to avoid Tamoxifen by having a mastectomy or a BMX.)
• Does the length of the surgery and the length of the recovery period matter to you? For most women, a lumpectomy is a relatively easy surgery and recovery. After a lumpectomy, radiation usually is given for 6 weeks. A mastectomy is a longer, more complex surgery and the recovery period is longer. 
• How will you deal with the side effects from Rads?  For most patients the side effects of rads are not as difficult as they expected, but most women do experience some side effects. You should be prepared for some temporary discomfort, fatigue and skin irritation, particularly towards the end of your rads cycle. Most side effects go away a few weeks after treatment ends but if you have other health problems, particularly heart or lung problems, you may be at risk for more serious side effects. This can be an important consideration and should be discussed with your doctor. 
• Do you plan to have reconstruction if you have a MX or BMX? If so, be aware that reconstruction, even "immediate" reconstruction, is usually a long process - many months - and most often requires more than one surgery. Some women have little discomfort during the reconstruction process but other women find the process to be very difficult - there is no way to know until you are going through it. 
• If you have a MX or BMX, how will you deal with possible complications with reconstruction? Some lucky women breeze through reconstruction but unfortunately, many have complications. These may be short-term and/or fixable or they may be long-term and difficult to fix. Common problems include ripples and indentations and unevenness. You may have lingering side effects (muscle pain, spasms, itching, etc.) on one side or both (if you have a BMX). If you don't end up with symmetry (symmetry is not a sure thing by any means, even if you have a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction done on both sides at the same time), will you regret the decision to remove your breasts or your healthy breast? Are you prepared for the possibility of revision surgery?
• How you do feel about your body image and how will this be affected by a mastectomy or BMX? A reconstructed breast is not the same as a real breast. Some women love their reconstructed breasts while some women hate them.  Most probably fall in-between. Reconstructed breasts usually looks fine in clothing but may not appear natural when naked. They may not feel natural or move naturally, particularly if you have implant reconstruction.  If you do choose to have a MX or BMX, one option that will help you get a more natural appearance is a nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM). Not all breast surgeons are trained to do NSMs so your surgeon might not present this option to you. Ask your surgeon about it if you are interested and if he/she doesn't do nipple sparing mastectomies, it may be worth the effort to find a surgeon who does do NSMs in order to see if this option is available for you (your area of cancer can't be right up near the nipple).
• If you have a MX or BMX, how do you feel about losing the natural feeling in your breast(s) and your nipple(s)? Are your nipples important to you sexually? A MX or BMX will change your body for the rest of your life and you have to be prepared for that. Keep in mind as well that even if you have a nipple sparing mastectomy, except in rare cases (and except with a new untested reconstruction procedure) the most feeling that can be retained in your nipples is about 20% - the nerves that affect 80% of nipple sensation are by necessity cut during the surgery and cannot be reconnected. Any breast/nipple feeling you regain will be surface feeling only (or phantom sensations, which are actually quite common and feel very real); there will be no feeling inside your breast, instead your breast will feel numb. For some, loss of breast/nipple sensation is a small price to pay; for others, it has a huge impact on their lives.
• If you have a MX or BMX, how will you deal emotionally with the loss of your breast(s)? Some women are glad that their breast(s) is gone because it was the source of the cancer, but others become angry that cancer forced them to lose their breast(s). How do you think you will feel? Don't just consider how you feel now, as you are facing the breast cancer diagnosis, but try to think about how you will feel in a year and in a few years, once this diagnosis, and the fear, is well behind you. 
• If you have a lumpectomy, how will you deal emotionally with your 6 month or annual mammos and/or MRIs?  For the first year or two after diagnosis, most women get very stressed when they have to go for their screenings. The good news is that usually this fear fades over time. However some women choose to have a BMX in order to avoid the anxiety of these checks.  
• Will removal of your breast(s) help you move on from having had cancer or will it hamper your ability to move on? Will you feel that the cancer is gone because your breast(s) is gone? Or will the loss of your breast(s) be a constant reminder that you had breast cancer?
• Appearance issues aside, before making this decision you should find out what your doctors estimate your recurrence risk will be if you have a lumpectomy and radiation. Is this risk level one that you can live with or one that scares you? Will you live in constant fear or will you be comfortable that you've reduced your risk sufficiently and not worry except when you have your 6 month or annual screenings? If you'll always worry, then having a mastectomy might be a better option; many women get peace of mind by having a mastectomy.  But keep in mind that over time the fear will fade, and that a MX or BMX does not mean that you no longer need checks - although the risk is low, you can still be diagnosed with BC or a recurrence even after a MX or BMX. Be aware too that while a mastectomy may significantly reduce your local (in the breast area) recurrence risk, it has no impact whatsoever on your risk of distant recurrence (i.e. mets).
• Do you know your risk to get BC in your other (the non-cancer) breast? Is this a risk level that scares you? Or is this a risk level that you can live with? Keep in mind that breast cancer very rarely recurs in the contralateral breast so your current diagnosis doesn't impact your other breast. However, anyone who's been diagnosed with BC one time is at higher risk to be diagnosed again and this may be compounded if you have other risk factors. Find out your risk level from your oncologist. When you talk to your oncologist, determine if BRCA genetic testing might be appropriate for you based on your family history of cancer and/or your age and/or your ethnicity (those of Ashkenazi Jewish descent are at higher risk). Those who are BRCA positive are very high risk to get BC and for many women, a positive BRCA test result is a compelling reason to have a bilateral mastectomy. On the other hand, for many women a negative BRCA test result helps with the decision to have a lumpectomy or single mastectomy rather than a bilateral. Talk to your oncologist. Don't assume that you know what your risk is; you may be surprised to find that it's much higher than you think, or much lower than you think (my risk was much less than I would ever have thought).
• How will you feel if you have a lumpectomy or UMX and at some point in the future (maybe in 2 years or maybe in 30 years) you get BC again, either a recurrence in the same breast or a new BC in either breast? Will you regret your decision and wish that you'd had a bilateral mastectomy? Or will you be grateful for the extra time that you had with your breasts, knowing that you made the best decision at the time with the information that you had?
• How will you feel if you have a bilateral mastectomy and no cancer or high risk conditions are found in the other breast? Will you question (either immediately or years in the future) why you made the decision to have the bilateral? Or will you be satisfied that you made the best decision with the information you had?

.

Hope that helps!

ruthbru

That is a wonderful list of questions from Beesie. I will just say that when I was making my decision, I consulted a friend who is a surgical nurse, a long time BC survivor (so long ago that a masectomy was her only choice, and she later had reconstruction....so she has seen this from all angles). Her advice was, "If they offer you the choice of a lumpectomy, take it." Which is what I did, and have had no regrets at all.

BikerLee

ruthbru - i was the opposite.  despite being offered a lumpectomy, i knew that many of my answers to the questions posed by beesie meant that lpx was not for me...  i think it also depends on how you feel about your breasts.  i always felt "too big" - i'm an athlete, and i was "stacked" for an athlete.  i always wanted those cute little sports boobs... not the boobilicious boobs that i had...  so, flatness is peachy keen with me.

so, i guess one question i'd add to the above would be - how do you feel about your breasts?  actually, better - how did you USED to feel about your breasts?  that impacts strongly, i think, how you will feel when one or both are changed or removed during treatment.

beesie - that piece is AMAZING!  well done.  would it be okay if i posted this on my blog?  i'd love to give credit where credit is due ....  i'll pm you - no pressure to say yes or no.... 

hope everyone has a good night.

AnArtist

It has been 2 years since my dbl mastectomy. I had a small tumor (~10mm) and was a perfect candidate for a lumpectomy. I did not have to have any type of chemo. I did however go through a surgery 5 years ago to remove some "spiderweb" looking tissue which turned out to be negative for cancer. At the time of my cancer diagnosis 3 years later I also had biopsies performed in 2 other locations (one in each breast). These other 2 biopsies were negative for cancer.



A couple of things influenced my decision. My breast were small and I was told the lumpectomy would leave a noticeable indentation. I did not want to worry about every upcoming mammogram or face any more biopsies. My breasts are dense and more biopsies wouldn't be out of the question.



It wasn't an easy choice, but once I found I was able to have a nipple/ skin sparing mastectomy I decided that was the best choice for me. I would be able to sidestep the radiation with this decision which greatly appealed to me.



I had a terrific surgeon and plastic surgeon. I am not exaggerating when I say I look better than I did before. I did get implants that are slightly larger than what I was (I am now a B cup). I can go in locker rooms and no one but me knows they are not my God given breasts. I wondered if they would feel foreign, but they feel completely natural. The only thing I really notice is that after a cool down from a workout where I have worked up a sweat, they can feel a bit cooler than the rest of my body because there is no fat under the skin for insulation.



I have no regrets. Good luck on your decision. I know how you are struggling. I think maybe if you look deep down inside, you will know the answer. Whatever you decide, please know that this mind numbing time will pass and you will be able to put it behind you. Seriously, you will feel normal again. I promise.

psbhcole

I appreciate all the information that everyone is giving me.  You really are helping me a bunch!  My appointment is a week from today so I will let you all know what I decide.

Bessie, I will take my time and really read what you have posted.  You have no idea how much it means to me that you took the time to do this.

psbhcole

I met with my surgeon yesterday and had another mammogram and ultrasound. My tumor has shrunk so much they could hardly find it! Good news!! Now I still have to make my surgery decision. I know with this info it should be easy but I sm such a worry wort I am afraid that I will make the wring one. How do I know if I make the right one???

jessica749

Wow that's a great list of questions Beesie, the most thorough and unbiased dealing with ALL the issues and raising questions, not making judgments, because everyone is different.

I personally opted for bilateral mastectomy AGAINST the advice of my brilliant MSKCC breast surgeon. I have never, ever regretted it. My bc although "small" was big enough to jeopardize my life from here on, and it was NOT picked up on my annual mammograms (also done at MSKCC). Long boring story, but finally when I switched doctors at Sloan (because the one I  saw for my benign breast disease left for another hospital), the new person said: "let's schedule you for an MRI in six months." And wham! Shock of a lifetime. 2 cm plus of tumor, DCIS and invasive mixed. Visible on the confirming ultrasound; still nothing on the mammogram days before surgery.  I could not LIVE, seriously, I could not live any quality of life free from anxiety if I had to spend the rest of my life (or at least the next 10 - 15 years till I hit 60) getting MRIs and ultrasounds. I couldn't afford it, let alone psychologically deal with it. So my decision, while my surgeon did not agree fully (thought I may have b een reacting rashly or not fully understanding how it didn't at all reduce my overall survival risk), my surgeon accepted it. It is one of the few decisions I've made in my life that I know, for me, was right, and I have never regretted the  the bilateral mastectomy choice.  Honestly, my breasts weren't that important to me, I had already breast fed, I'm a single parent who lives without a partner...tons of considerations other may have just weren't on the radar for me. But it is very much a  personal decision. 

PS my breast surgeon had, at the time, told me if I wanted a mast. to do a unilateral, and then, in a year, come back for the rest as an "informed consumer".To me, this was much more easily said than done, as it would involve the same surgery and recovery and reconstruction process TWiCE.  Just didn't work for me as I was certain of what I wanted to do. But it was valid advice I throw out there to those thinking about it now: if it's too much to think about both, then maybe just do one (if you are leaning to mastectomy) with the thought that you could do the other at a later date.

AnArtist

I so wish I could give you the answer you seek. I know how you are struggling. For me, this decision was the hardest part of the whole cancer thing. Have the surgeons given you any indication as to what your breast may look like after a lumpectomy? Have you spoken to a plastic surgeon at all for his/her opinion? One thing I didn't mention is that my plastic surgeon told me the results of a mastectomy were better for someone whose skin had never been irradiated. Radiation does permanently change the skin.



After I told him I was considering a bilateral, from his perspective (someone considering a cosmetic outcome), he thought it a good decision. He told me he was confident he could match both breast if I only removed the cancerous side, but that over time as I aged, the reconstructed side would tend to stay more "perky" as the other side would be more affected by gravity. One could always go back for surgery to correct this, however. Maybe someone else could help me here, but I don't know if insurance would cover this.



Another thing that entered my mind ( I tend to over think everything) is the changes that may be ahead for our healthcare system. As you know, insurance companies are now required to pay for reconstruction. This wasn't always the case. If our country moves to a universal health care system, will this still be covered? I know that in some countries (such as Scotland) it is not. Seeing my bills after surgery, it would take a big chunk of change to pay for the reconstruction surgery myself.



Again, if you can, seek a second or third opinion from a plastic surgeon. The first one I talked to was awful and scared me to death. The plastic surgeon I ended up with I truly believe is being guided by God's hand. Also, have you been able to meet anyone who has had a mastectomy and would let you see the results? Your surgeon should be able to find someone willing to meet you in their office. I was able to do this and it helped me. Actually, I have paid it forward and gone back to my surgeon's office and showed a couple of other women my results to help them.

jessica749

I just want to add re my decision (above) to get double mast when I wasn't encouraged at all to do so also had a lot to do with the fact that I had ADH, which (in addition)  increased my bc risk, along with having had bc, and with having bc that was not picked up by mammogram. 

AnArtist

For some reason you have been on my mind since I first read your post, so here I am back to ramble on a bit more. You mention being afraid you will make the wrong decision. Keep in mind it is not a right or wrong decision, but an either or. You will be okay no matter which you choose. Having the choice is both a blessing and a curse though. Like you, I didn't know how I could make a decision. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. I found it was the fear of the unknown that was crippling me mentally. You will feel like a weight has been lifted off of you after surgery.



I was able to start my reconstruction right away, so when I woke up after surgery and looked down, I didn't look all that different. At least not like anything I feared. Even though I had reconstruction surgery ahead, I finally felt like was out of the fog and thinking normally again.



Try your best to relax and think logically. Get answers to any questions you may still have about either surgery and then listen to your gut feelings. You will get through this and one day soon it will be a distant memory. Hang in there!

psbhcole

AnArtist--THANK YOU!! Your posts have been truly helpful!! I have a meeting with a plastic surgeon tomorrow.  A friend of mine used him and loves him and my surgery oncologist things very highly of him. I am in high hopes that after meeting with him I will have the answers to all the questions that are still looming. Fortunately and unfortunately, I have friends and family (husband's side) that I can ask about both kinds of surgery.  It just bugs me how common this thing really is.

I will let you know how things go and what decision I have made.  Thanks again...so much!!

Speedy4

Ok this may be a silly question, but here goes...if someone has BC in only one breast and decides on a BMX, does insurance pay for it? I see some signatures that say mastectomy on one side and prophylactic mastectomy on the other. I'm confused

msphil

hello sweetie, I chose mastectomy so I could have less of getting reoccurence, I first thought about getting lumpectomy cause I was diagnosed while we were making wedding plans, but my husband said to do what would give you more years here with me, I am now an 18 yr, will be 19 yrs this yr SURVIVOR(Praise the Lord),so we must choose for each of us what is best, But lumpectomy I believed wouldn,t give me long survival rate. God Bless us ALL. msphil(idc,stage2,0/3 nodes, L radical mastectomy, chemo and rads and 5 yrs on Tamoxifen)

AnArtist

Speedy4--there are no silly questions when it comes to your health. Personally, I have trouble figuring out all the abbreviations that are used on this site which makes me feel a little silly too. :-)



Don't take this as gospel, but I think all insurance companies are required by law to pay for reconstruction. If you only have cancer in one breast, they will pay for the removal of both breasts plus reconstruction. I am not sure that they will pay for removal of a healthy breast if you opt not to do it at the time of your cancer surgery. In other words, you can't decide 2 years later that you want your healthy breast removed just because you find yourself worrying all the time. I think there may be a window of time they will pay for both if your surgeon only wants to do one at a time. If you have someone who can help you for a few days after surgery, I would recommend doing both at the same time.



Again, I am not positive this information is correct. Be sure and contact your insurance company for specifics.

psbhcole

I have finally made my decision. I am going to do the double mastectomy with immediate/direct implant reconstruction. I met with the plastic surgeon yesterday and after talking with him, I knew and was very comfortable and at peace with my decision.

Nine days till my last chemo then wait for surgery. I can finally see the light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel.

ali68

Hun, so glad your happy with your decision. Can i be rude and ask what stage and grade? i only ask because i'm still thinking of more surgery.

AnArtist

Psbhcole--I am very happy you were able to make a decision. I know you probably still have some fear about the surgery, but keep in mind what you are imagining is much worse than what actually will happen. I found these forums very helpful, but also a bit scary at times. If you have read or think you may be reading more about the procedure, keep in mind that people who have had problems are the ones more likely to post here asking questions. Not to say you couldn't develop some kind of complication, but the odds are on your side you won't.



As you can tell by the low number of my posts, I have mostly been a lurker on this forum. I have't been back here since shortly after my surgery 2 years ago. I was on my old laptop and saw this link in my bookmarks and clicked on it. I'm not sure what led me to your post, but I hope I have been able to help you in some way. I wish I could give you a hug!

RMlulu

Hi ladies. I'm wondering BS encouraging lump&rad for less than 1cm tumor, but C is 8.3 cm into breast at 12 o'clock. Will rad damage skin so that 'if' there is 2x would impact reconstruction outcome? My 1st response is BMX, but I do like these girls.

I'm rereading Bessie's post.

I meet w BS 1/15.

Thx for all the info such help!

AnArtist

Hi RMlulu, I cannot answer your question, but it is good you are thinking about things. I would suggest you talk to a plastic surgeon if you haven't already. Talk to as many doctors as you can to get second and third opinions on all aspects of you decision.



There is a new type of radiation delivery called Intraoperative Radiation Theropy you might want to look into also. This type of therapy delivers radiation at the same time as the lumpectomy. No other radiation is required. It can be used on some smaller cancers. It was not available to me 2 years ago, but my cancer surgeon now offers it. Hopefully the link below will work. It is a YouTube video of my surgeon talking about it.



http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=W1yk1ZMqu6o&desktop_uri=/watch?v=W1yk1ZMqu6o



FWIW, even with this new type of radiation available, I wouldn't change what I did if I could go back and do it over.

RMlulu

Thx AnArtist!

I will check out the link & work on my list of questions.

Know that choice will be with the best info & great team... So thankful for those that have gone before me & share ... encouraging )

kathindc

Speedy4, Due to the size of my tumor, my BS recommended a lumpectomy.  After much research and BCO was the best site I came across, I chose BMX.  My insurance covered it, and to be honest I never thought of checking with them to make sure the prophylactic side would be covered.  

Speedy4

Thank you kathinc!



My tumor is small (originally 6mm now @8mm) but the MRI found another suspicious spot in the same breast. They couldn't do an ultrasound guided biopsy on Friday because they couldn't find the spot. I'm waiting for the Dr to call tomorrow to talk about next step. He had mentioned an MRI guided biopsy if the ultrasound wasn't successful. At this point (over a month past dx) I just want it out. Don't know if I want to go through the MRI biopsy for them to say its cancer too and the two spots are too far away from each other to do a lumpectomy. Although my tumor is small, it's aggressive (I'm +++) And I'm afraid it will spread. The other breast was clear on mammo & MRI but I wonder for how long...



I'll talk to the BS tomorrow to get his thoughts but I'm still up in the air about which surgery to do.



Thanks for the advice

CelineFlower

struggling with this choice atm...

thank you Bessie... very helpfull list... may i suggest it get a thread of its own?

kathindc

Hi Speedy4, I was much like you.  Very small tumor, ER+/PR+, but HER2-.  Had to have a stereotactic biopsy on a second spot which the radiologist could not complete and it had to be done as an MRI guided biopsy.  It was negative for cancer but I developed a large hematoma in that spot.  By this point I was so disgusted with tests and the oncologist I saw and did not want to go through everything I had been through a possible second time, I decided on BMX.  It was not an easy decision.  I wish you nothing but the best.  Good luck with whatever procedure you decide upon.  It is such a personal decision and no matter what you choose, it is the best for you and your circumstances.

RMlulu

Speedy4 I can relate.

Had MRI last wk met BS today. T at 12 o'clock now has grown 5mm to 9 mm with a forward movement toward nipple 16mm long. Ugh

And a 3 mm questionable T at 2 o'clock... not sure how to process. I have a consult sometime before Friday to discuss MRI.

When dx I wanted C out. Will see how this roller coaster ride goes. My lump/SND still next 1/23