Surgery Issues

CCNC

I had a lumpectomy April of 2017. I had two tumor sites. My treatment order went chemo, surgery, radiation and finished Herceptin in December of 17. I just found out today that the surgeon left one of the biopsy tumor markers in because it showed up on my mammo this morning. They missed it on the 6 month check. I had 3d mammograms both times. My head is spinning a little bit, because that means that tumor cell bed has been in there a year. The radiologist also told me both of the tissues samples removed at time of surgery still had active cancer. I was told the larger tumor had shrunk to 3 mm and there was no trace of the second one. (Well I guess I know why there was not trace of the second one, it is still in there). If they do surgery again to remove it, there is no "cleaning" it up with radiation this time. Has anyone heard of this happening? I hate that I have to go through it all again and have surgery with skin that has been radiated, but I am also concerned by the fact that it has been sitting there this entire time. To top if all off my oncologist just pulled me off of tamoxifen because of the endometrial risk. I'm apparently in the lucky 5%. I just had a growth removed from my uterus that was benign but atypical cells were found and my lining was thick. They have decided to remove my ovaries so that I can go on an AI, originally they were thinking hysterectomy but after the obgyn and oncologist talked they decided the ovaries needed to go. Has anyone ever had lumpectomy and ovaries removed at the same time? If they can't do a joint surgery that would mean 3 surgeries in less than two months. Any thoughts or experiences please? I don't post very often but this one has me a little unnerved.

Polly413

Sorry you are going through this. I don't know anything about chemo before surgery with cancer remaining but wanted to respond to the marker issue. For what its worth, I just had my one year post diagnosis mammogram -- 3D -- and it showed that the markers ( I understood this was plural) where my surgery was are still in there. The tech said this was not unusual at all to leave the markers -- its done on purpose. I am glad they were there because the radiologist identified a suspicious area that resulted in a category 4 report. But then he consulted with my surgeon and from the markers she could tell just where my lumpectomy was and together they concluded that the new area of interest was scar tissue from an earlier surgery. It had been moved from its original position as shown on pre-bc mammos to a new location close to the lumpectomy marked area at the time last year that the surgeon closed the lumpectomy incision. So after a weekend of worry, worry, worry, I was told by the surgeon that it is very likely benign and I will be rechecked at 6 mo. Hope your own situation can be explained as not as worrisome as you fear. Polly

CCNC

Polly413 - Thanks for the response, but the radiologist compared my images from today with the pre-surgery images and stated very clearly that the clip was where they originally placed it. He recommended removal of the clip and tissue to reduce risk of re occurrence. He stated it should have been removed. I will just have to wait and see what the surgeon says, very disturbing though to have a doctor tell you they need to remove the cancer area a year after you had the surgery.