radical mastectomy

moody001

I have been told I need a radical mastectomy after 12 treatments with herceptin, projecta and taxil. My last MRI found no cancer in the breast or lymph nodes. It is the oncologist that is ordering this procedure - not the surgeon. The surgeon was going to do a simple mastectomy resecting the centinal lobe and more if cancerous......... I didn't think sugeons did radical mastectomies anymore. Please advise. When I asked the oncologist how many nodes I had he said he didn't know but he had seen seven not 20 to 49.

Icietla

Hi moody001. We are very sorry about your illness and your anxiety about your upcoming surgery.

It is very unlikely that Radical Mastectomy is contemplated for your case. It happens often that cancer patients and their Concerned Others hear (or recall hearing) only part of what the Doctors tell them. What is contemplated for your case is most likely Modified Radical Mastectomy, which is pretty much the same as Simple (or Total) Mastectomy, the difference being that axillary lymph node dissection is done in connection with the Modified Radical Mastectomy.

Here is a good general description of each type of Mastectomy surgery.

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/mastectomy/what_is