Overwhelmed-Can't Decide Btw BCS & Mastectomy

Mobay13

Greetings All. Thanks to everyone who has posted on this site. There's a lot of helpful information. But I still cant decide what to do. My surgery is scheduled forJuly 18 (postponed from July 1) so I need to make a decision. When I was first diagnosed I was adamant that I wanted a mastectomy. But I wavered. Why do the most aggressive procedure with longer recovery period and more risks. So despite my reservations about radiation, breast conservation seemed like the better option. Now I'm plagued with tboughts of more invasive cancer in the future. This is all complicated by the fact that I will be starting a job in another state shortly after surgery and I have to find a place to live and move. Seeing a surgeon for second opinion on Monday. Maybe I should see a medical oncologist as well? Thanks in advance for any comments.

ballet12

What is the estimated size of the DCIS?  What is the grade (low, intermediate, high grade--or 1.2,3)?  Multifocal?  Comedonecrosis? Size of the breast?  Your feelings about radiation/hormonal therapy, etc. All of these factor in.  On the DCIS board, there is a nice, very detailed thread written by Beesie on the factors involved in the decision, which also include your feelings about each procedure and how you might feel down the road (in a year, five years, etc.).  I'd strongly advise reading that thread.  It has been very helpful for others.

It might also help to see a medical oncologist to gauge your individual risk of invasive cancer. 

This is just a scary process.  No getting around it. Getting a mastectomy doesn't even truly guarantee that you won't have an invasive recurrence, but the odds are very low.  You've gotta decide what your risk tolerance is.  Can you tolerate years of mammos/MRI's, future biopsies.  I am prepared to do that, and just had a biopsy on the very first follow-up mammo, albeit in the other breast.  Some people can't deal with that or don't want to deal with that.

I'm sorry you have to make these decisions at a time when the rest of your life is so unsettled.  You can always go back and do a mastectomy later, when your life situation is more stable and settled.  Or, you can do a mastectomy without reconstruction, and deal with that later, should you choose to.

CTMOM1234

Mobay13 - The decision-making phase of this process is truly among the most difficult part, but it is so important that you have good inner peace with whatever you decide. It is not easy and no one can tell you what is right for you -- it is so personal. Many women do not have an option, so although it is stressful to decide, I remember when I was where you are now some 3.5 years ago, I held on to the concept that choice is a good thing. I had a lumpectomy + rads and have very very good inner peace.

Here's a link to help (Beesie's always helpful information is in there, too).

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/68/topic/806074

Wishing you the best.

fstop

Mobay,

It really is a personal thing. With mine I was giving no choice on the left side it was just too large. But I had the right side done just because I had the signs of something starting in that breast. I wanted to do everything I could to keep from having to go through any of that again. 

Like was said above a lot depends on the size and grade.

I hope all goes well for you. Keep reaching out as you hit different steps on this journey.

*hugs*