Positive / Close Margins

Highlyblessed

Hello everyone, I have read thru several threads and I can't find an answer to my thinking.So I would like to start a new thread addressing positive/ close margins.my question is do we have any long-term survivors who had positive or close margins ??????? I recently had a double masectomy and at my post-op appointment the surgeon explained to me that there may be a thin layer of cancer cells laying on my chest muscle she wasn't sure.But told me she couldn't do a another surgery because it is dangerous to tamper with the chest muscle but reassured me that if in fact there were cells left over that 6 weeks of radiation would totally get rid of them.im very concerned about this if anyone can please offer some in site that would be great. HAVE YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW SURVIVED WITH POSITIVE OR CLOSE MARGINS

Palesa2018

Hello, I had a double mx and had close margins at some of the areas. My surgeon told me and I read the report that in some areas they went into the chest wall. Because she wasn't comfortable with the margins, too close, she decided to do a re-excision to clear the margins. The second op was targeted based on pathology report and they got good margins. Because of low Oncotype I didn't do Chemo but insisted on radiation which my surgeon supported. But it was important to go back in and clear the margins, then radiation.

All the best.

Alicethecat2

Highly-Blessed

My lump was only 0.37mm from my chest wall in 2012. I had the whole caboodle re treatment.

Doing well and trying to do good.

Take heart!

Alis

Skwashie

Getting clear margins is the standard protocol because of the way in which cancer behaves. At the same time cancer cells only show up at a critical mass point, so in some ways less clear margins gives your BC surgeon the opportunity to be a bit more aggressive, which can be a good thing with lumpectomies. I gave my BC surgeon permission to go wider than his usual excision dimensions.

Importantly, there are no certainties when it comes to cancer. This is invariably what causes us anxiety however it also means that none of us are a reference case and we each can hope for the best; whilst managing our fears as best we can. Good luck with the next stage of treatment.

Highlyblessed

Thank you ladies, I simply just don't understand why she refused to go back in and try for clear margins as PALESA2018 surgeon did.I thank you again ladies and wish you blessing on this journey