RESIDUAL (RECURRENT) DX, ONE YEAR POST MX WITH DIEP Anyone else?

Nolton9

Good Afternoon Ladies,

Very Interested, to find out, if any of you have experienced a diagnosis of either RESIDUAL (or RECURRENT) disease, following a mastectomy (especially a skin sparing mastectomy), please? especially anyone, within a year of first op, as I'm told this almost certainly points to a technical fault with the mastectomy rather than recurrence.

if that is you, too, I'd really like to hear from you (by PM if you prefer), if you are happy to share, please?

My 'story' follows - I am 44, mum of 3 - I had a MX with DIEP for widespread DCIS in April, 2014. I then found more, similar evidence of disease, just 8 months out from intial operation. I am going through further treatments (2 x WLE to date and planned radiotherapy), with a new clinic , just now - (v thankfully still with a good prognosis). But whilst I thought I was a 'rare breed' (don't we all want to be that? - just not in this context tho!) to be back so soon, after mastectomy..... Whilst booking another element of my treatment, I have already been approached by another lady, to say that her friend has had a very similar issue, at the same hospital - and is also back in treatment.

Unexpected outcomes do happen, but they can't just happen and not be improved upon quickly and openly, I firmly believe that. This site is a great, reasurring resource for sharing and support and generally looking out for each other; during what can be a very isolating, frustrating experience. There are alot of us and that helps to change things.

Thanks for reading my post....

klanders

Hi, I had a BMX for invasive ductal carcinoma in both breasts with immediate DIEP reconstruction. My cancer is back, two years later, in the left breast and now with lymph node involvement. I believe that they goofed and missed some as do my current doctors. When my left breast BMX/DIEP was done the doc did not get clear margins and he had to go back 7 days later for a re-excision. I've since been told that it is very difficult on a BMX/recon surgery to get back to the exact spot of dirty margins. I've read that I should have had radiation but because I'd had the flap reconstruction it wasn't even suggested to me (because it can cause flap failure). Just had a lumpectomy and headed for chemo probably beginning next week.