Second Surgery

stexas

I had my lumpectomy on December 29 and had 6 lymph nodes removed. Three margins were taken of six.

My results showed IDC for the tumor and 1 lymph node had micro cells. The 3 margins all were positive for DCIS. Normally someone might have one positive margin. He said its rare to see 3 positive margins.

I had to make a choice either go back in for the second time and take more tissue from the original 3 then tissue from the other 3 wait and see for the results. If positive that would mean a mastectomy because to much tissue has been removed from the other 2 surgeries.

The other option is a mastectomy now. This is the option I chose I want to get this done and over with.

I am not sure how this will change my treatment plan I see the oncologist on Thursday.

DanceSmartly

Hi stexas,

Sorry to hear about your 3 margins positive for DCIS. I has 2 margins positive for DCIS following my original lumpectomy and I too was contemplating going straight to mastectomy. Ultimately I did choose to have a re-excision, and my pathology came back with no IDC or DCIS present in any of the tissue from the second surgery! It's a bit confusing to me how that could happen (and frustrating to have apparently had a second surgery for no reason!). My BS assured me he took a significant amount of tissue the second time (which I believe as my left breast is definitely smaller now) and that this outcome is not uncommon; it seems my margins must have been very close to negative the first time around.

Not trying to discourage u from a mastectomy; just sharing my experience and letting u know that u r not alone in having more than one positive margin. Best to u going forward!

Dance

KimE

I had the same issues as you did with my lumpectomy. I ended up with a second lumpectomy and still had no clear margins. I requested an MRI of my breasts to see if I needed to have a bilateral mastectomy since I didn’t want to go through this again. The found a suspicious mass in my good breast so the both ended up going. I have no regrets.

stexas

Thank you DanceSmarti and KimE for your replies.

I am not one that would do reconstruction surgery because I am in my late 50's.

I am requesting a MRI I see the oncologist on Thursday just to be sure like you it could show up with something that two mammograms and a ultrasound missed since they missed all but the tumor on me to begin with.

stexas

I had my Mastectomy on Monday and spent the night in the hospital and was released today. We were home by noon.

The only real pain I had was the first day and it was referred pain in my back by the arm crease. None of that pain today and 0 pain other wise today.

The scars a little worse than I had anticipated but I guess I was not thinking about the muscle above breast sticking out then a dip where the breast was another dip towards the side.

The most aggravating thing is the drain tube it is driving me nuts. I have not had a lot of drainage which they said it good.

The chemo port feels bruised but does not hurt so to speak.

I see my surgeon next Monday and hopefully the drain tube comes out. He said the Oncotype DX testing should be back as well as the breast tissue they sent off yesterday.

orlandosmom

I hope that everyone is doing okay today. I had a re excision on Tuesday from original lumpectomy for IDC. The margin of the specimen showed DCIS which had not appeared previously on anything, imaging, biopsy, etc. My MO, RO, and GYN all advised that I do that procedure rather than jumping to a mastectomy. Surgeon agreed, so I went ahead with it. Slightly more sore than the original procedure, including the sentinel node biopsy, but I will live. More DCIS and I will have the mastectomy....no results yet from pathology.

stexas

I think that is what makes us all different there are no two cases just alike. If I did not have 3 positive margins out of 3 and a lymph node involvement I would not have had to do this. I look at this way I saved myself another surgery by doing it first.