I regret I didn't have mastectomy

Sunnyca

Hi, my tumor was 3.5x3.0 and lymph node 5/11, stage 3a and before my surgeon, dr. recommended that I don't need to have mastectomy because my tumor was kind of upper breast. So I had partial mastectomy. But after surgery, path report said margin was 2 mm, clear but close. Also, I didn't take lymph node dissension. I need HOPE, right now! If someone has a similar experience and they cured completely, please let me know! Or is it possible that I can have another surgery for mastectomy?

Beesie

Sunny, with a Stage IIIA cancer and nodal involvement, your greatest concern isn't your breast, but the risk that some cancer cells might have already moved into your body. I hate this analogy but it's the only one that I can think of right now - having a mastectomy is kind of like closing the barn door (or burning down the barn) after the horses have escaped.

Anyone with invasive cancer faces the risk that some cancer cells might have moved beyond the breast prior to surgery, but that risk is increased with nodal involvement and the higher the stage. So removing your breast won't change your prognosis and likely won't change anything about your treatment plan. What you need to focus on are the treatments that will address the more significant risks that you face. I'm guessing that you will have rads because of the nodal involvement, and this likely would be recommended whether you had a MX or a lumpectomy. I'm guessing that chemo will be recommended, and that would be the case whether you have a MX or a lumpectomy. If your cancer is ER+, I'm sure it will be recommended that you take hormone therapy, and that too wouldn't change if you have a MX.

You can go back and have a MX, but honestly, you probably should be focused more on these other treatments. Because the survival rate is the same whether you have a MX or a lumpectomy, but it's the others treatments that will you give you the best chance of surviving this long term.

SelenaWolf

As Beesie stated, having a mastectomy at this point is not going to have any bearing on long-term survival.  The surgery - either a lumpectomy or a mastectomy - is to control local disease (i.e., the cancer in your breast).  Since your cancer is already invasive and there is lymph node involvement, having a mastectomy isn't going to increase your chances of surviving long-term; that's what chemotherapy, radiation  and hormonal therapy will help improve.

farmerlucy

Sunny - I'm sorry you're going through this. I know it is really tough. If you scroll down to the Stage III forum, you will find lots of ladies who can help you. There is every reason to have hope!  I don't know how far out you are from diagnosis, but I was terrified as soon as I heard the word "cancer" and for many months after that. It gets easier with time and you learn to live with it. There is much information here and on the main pages of BCO. Gentle hugs.

Moderators

Sunny, as farmerlucydaisy suggests, the Stage III forum is a great place to connect with others at your stage for advice and support. Be sure to check out the Five + Years and Out thread, pinned to the top of the forum

Sunnyca

Thank you soooo much everyone!!!! I'm a triple positive and will take chemo soon. Thank you for your comments. Thanks.

BeanBean

Hi sunnyca,

I am IIIa too. Because of the size of my tumor, all technicians and nurses I saw kept assuming I would do Mx and they almost had me convinced. My BS was very emphatic that it was not necessary. She could do partial mastectomy as long as I was willing to have smaller breasts. Knowing, that I could always opt for Mx later, I went with the partial mx and reconstruction on right and reduction on left. Very happy with result (today is 3 weeks post op). My sentinel node was positive, so I opted for axillary dissection (0/13 nodes). I'm still recovering from that. I start 16 weeks of chemo on 11/19.

Best wishes with your treatment!

Kathy

Sunnyca

Hi Kathy,

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm having some pain at my underarm, a wound and shoulder. Those pain makes me scared so much. My 2nd treatment is 11/14. Best wishes with your first treatment! Thanks.

dlb823

Sunnyca, the only thing I would add to the above is to ask if you had an MRI prior to your surgery. I frequently ask women this question because of my own experience, where 3 additional small lesions were found by a second opinion medical team, after I initially had a lumpectomy. And, yes, I went back 3 mos. later and had a mx, because the lesions were in different areas of my breast. In your situation, since you are Her2+, it's also important to start chemo & Herceptin ASAP, so additional surgery probably isn't in your best interest right now, as long as you're sure everything was found prior to your lumpectomy.

One thing I didn't understand about your post... If you didn't have an axillary dissection, how do you know you had 5 positive nodes? Was that from an MRI?

In case you haven't been told, Stage 3A is still considered early stage bc, so there is plenty of hope you will do fine after all your tx. (((Hugs))) Deanna

Sunnyca

Hi Deanna, thank you for sharing your experience. Yes, I had an MRI before my surgery and PET after my surgery. Also, I had axillary dissection. My chemo started last month and tomorrow will be 2 chemo treatment. My regret is that I didn't choose the best way to prevent metastasis with mx. What does tx mean? But thank you for your comment. Are you 5 years surviver? I'll follow you. Thanks!