Recurrence Rate?

Veeder14

When I asked about recurrence rate if I didn't do radiation, the resident just seemed to make up a number saying 40-50%, it didn't seem specific to my situation. To those of you who were given specific recurrence rates for specific treatments (radiation, hormonal) do you know how your doctor determined this? I may need to ask the radiation doctor since it was just the resident giving me what seemed like vague percentages.

Icietla

Some study results here with annual recurrence rates__

http://imaging.ubmmedica.com/cancernetwork/journals/oncology/images/o9709ct4.gif

Icietla

Nonrandomized data, annual recurrence rates without radiation__

http://imaging.ubmmedica.com/cancernetwork/journals/oncology/images/o9709ct5.gif

Icietla

Stage I, node-negative, surgery alone__

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19960315)77:6%3C1094::AID-CNCR14%3E3.0.CO;2-X/epdf

Veeder14

Thanks Icietla for all the information, I appreciate it.

Icietla

You are welcome.

Meow13

I was told radiation if I had lumpectomy. It sounded like there was no choice but it is your decision.

Veeder14

Yeah, I had a surgical oncology resident tell me, "if you choose lumpectomy you have to agree to do 6 weeks of radiation". I just let it slide, why argue with her. I know my rights to make medical decisions and I don't have to agree to any treatment that I don't want to do. Then I had the radiation oncology resident Monday state, "radiation treatment is implied for patients who had lumpectomy surgery". No way I'd confront a resident but I will make my displeasure with this attitude known to the surgical and radiation oncology physicians. Some patients might not know they have a right to refuse medical treatment (absent a court order for incapacity) and be intimidated into treatment. Me: A retired Patients Rights Advocate.

Momine

"Me: A retired Patients Rights Advocate" Uh-oh! They in trouble now! Seriously though, doctors should not bully patients. One of the reasons I appreciate my docs is that they are willing to discuss pros and cons of treatment options and keep an open mind.

Anonymous

Veeder, of course, you don't have to agree to anything. Threatening patients is not the way to build trust. Some women can't do radiation because they have heart and circulatory problems, but I doubt there would be a surgeon who would refuse to perform a lumpectomy unless the patient agreed to radiation.

Wow. Some medical folks really believe in magical thinking (that they are demi-gods).

Claire in AZ

Bosombuddy101

I too was told that if I had a lumpectomy, I would have to agree to radiation. I was pushed to have a lumpectomy even though I had no desire to undergo radiation. I kept telling my first breast surgeon that I wanted a bilateral but she wouldn't do it saying no way in hell would she remove a healthy breast! I got a second opinion with another breast surgeon who agreed to the bilateral and it turns out that the so-called "healthy breast" had atypical lobular hyperplasia ( a precursor to cancer!) which didn't show up on ultrasound or mammogram. The only indication I had that there was something going on with that breast was a dimple! Apparently lobular carcinoma is a very sneaky cancer which doesn't show up on imaging and can be very aggressive. Atypical ductal hyperplasia was also found in the right breast during the bilateral mastectomy. In retrospect, I made the right decision to push for a bilateral mastectomy. I hate to think what would have happened had I settled for the lumpectomy with radiation. I'm quite certain I would have had a recurrence.