Opt for removing both breasts when only one cancerous?

Hi Stitches, I was diagnosed almost 6yrs ago..removed only the affected breast. Ive recently had a PET Scan which showed probable physiological uptake in my "good" breast, had a mammo which did not show anything new from last year, and now have to have a mammo again in 6months. At this point I am thinking that I just should have gone ahead and removed it when I had the other done. I also had recon (saline implant) and lift and reduction of the other side about 3yrs ago, and at this point they dont match any longer, one up and one down. My grandmother is the only family history of bc in my family, she was 75 when she was first dx, but hers did recur a year later, so I worry about that too.

Tough choice, and yes a very personal one.   Its good that your thinking it through. I was so eager to remove the cancer, but  I wished I had done that. Best wishes to you.

It's a personal decision.  I had both breasts removed even though cancer was only in the left.  However, I have always had very cystis breast, especially the right.  In addition, there is my family history.  I was diagnosed September 25th at the age of 44.  Two weeks before me, my 38 year old sister was diagnosed.  My maternal grandmother and paternal aunt both had breast cancer.  I do NOT regret my decision.

Hi ~  I had a mast. (left side) in May with Diep flap reconstruction.  Although bc is prevelent in my family (sister + 2 cousins), none of them tested positive for a genetic link, and my BS at a prominent bc center never even raised the question of doing a bi-lateral, although I, too, have dense breasts.  My PS insisted that my MRI be totally clear of anything suspicious on the right side because I only had enough tummy tissue to do one Diep flap reconstruction.  But I appreciated their belief that one side was appropriate, and I am glad that I still have nipple sensation on one side. 

As others have said, it is such a personal choice, and one you want to take as much time as you need to make.  You also need to consider the whole picture regarding reconstruction, as there are options that may or not play into this, as in my case.  

By the way, there are several other threads on this board with basically the same question, so you may want to review some of those responses as well. 

Good luck with your decision.   Deanna

This is such a personal decision, and I've heard very good stories with both treatment options. I'm choosing to have both removed now, despite having "only" a grade one cancer, and only in one breast. I feel that I'd rather be "even", though flatchested, then deal with the off-centeredness. I have a friend who only had one removed, and she'd definately have preferred losing both, but her insurance was minimal and wouldn't cover it. Advantages include: no imbalance on the body (back, shoulders, etc ... more obvious in a large breasted woman). If you choose to reconstruct, I understand that its easier to match them to each other, then to match them to a natural breast.

For me, its also about peace of mind. Yes, there is still a tiny chance that breast cancer can recur in the scar, or on the chest wall, but that chance is so much smaller with virtually no breast tissue remaining. It's also easier to find any recurrance with nothing in the way.

Hugs and best of luck. The important thing is to do whatever YOU will feel most comfortable with.

Stitches, I am happy for you for your decision! I, too, had a BM only 1 week ago and have felt wonderful about my decision. The visiting nurses have both commented that their patients with only one breast gone seem to have a harder time adapting and accepting their situation, they are worried about additional surgery, breast forms, etc. Not to say that those above with one breast aren't adapting of course! (This was not a generalization!) The nurse today mentioned an 85 year old widow that really lost it when she lost one breast. So sad....I think that not to have the other breast to compare to makes it easier to look down and deal with what you have now.

I went out today to the drugstore and had my coat off because I was too warm. I was so very careful to make sure my drain tubes weren't showing, holding my coat low, that I forgot until I left the store that I didn't care that I am totally flat!

I am not getting a reconstruction or wearing foobies. I have had large breasts for 37 years! I salute the ladies that have the stamina to deal with more surgery, though, I just can't do it...the additional time in surgery and the tatoos and all the other pieces, nipples, etc. I am just blown away that someone can keep going like that. What a warrior!

I agree with someone above who said that if one breast can produce cancer, the other can too. I don't get my pathology until Jan 7th, but the surgeon did say he found lumps in my right breast as well, and I had calcifications that showed up on the mammo.

I have already found clothes in my closet that I can wear to work that are not immediately obvious. Of course, the people I work with will notice as I was a 42D! My husband says he can hug me closer now, and I actually look thinner.

Hugs to you! 

Stitches, Barrie, Ontario is in Canada and we too, have over 4 feet of snow. I don't wear a hat, scarf or even gloves unless it gets below 25-30 degrees below zero (C) and then I wear gloves. After bundling up then scraping off the care and tramping through the snow to the store I am usually sweating. Way too hot inside!

How are you doing now?

hey there stiches.. cc is capsular contraction... not fun at all. The left one is getting rounder and harder and painful. Just can't stomach the thought of another surgery so I will deal with it and am just thankful that they are small enough that the difference is not very noticeable.I STILL have to remind myself to STAND UP STRAIGHT!! I think it is a habit from 4 years of waiting for my replacement implants....hunched over boobs just aren't as noticeable! I am soooo glad you are doing well.

  And Barbe.. we out here in Vancouver just need 2 more cm of snow to break the all time record!! (set in 1964) I have had sooo much fun taking pictures out at kits beach... we NEVER get this much snow and have it last more than a day or two...the first snowstorm was on the 17th.  My neice is out here from Barrie and can't believe it! We actually had a snowfight on boxing day

Stitches, I had bilateral mastectomy in Oct. 17 years ago, I had lumpectomy and radiation and chemo. I was 36 at the time and the thought of losing my breast terrified me.

This time, before I even got the diagnosis, I decided I wanted a bilateral although they were only looking at the one breast. I am BRCA1+ and just the thought of breast tissue on my body was unthinkable. I am really glad I made this decision. Some lymph nodes traveled over to the other side and I would have probably been advised to go bilateral anyway.

But, everyone's circumstances are different, so it has to be your own decision, unless the docs are advising a bilateral. I had DIEP reconstruction immediately and I'm hoping I will have 2 equal sides now! For me, it was the right choice.

Good luck in making your choice. It sounds as if it will be an informed one!

Karen in Pittsburgh

i had cancer in my right breast, 1.2 cm, grade 3, stage 1, triple negative. i opted for double mastectomy because my surgeon told me that would reduce my chances of recurrence down to 2%, along with chemo and radiation.  i never wanted to have just one breast and had always wanted a flat chest, so those are the reasons i opted for double mastectomy, with no reconstruction. i am extremely happy with the results and with my decision.

I am two years out from IDC and had breast cancer in the right breast.  I had cyst and very dense tissue and was sick of the whole scare "thing" every time I had a mammogram.  When the surgeon found three small tumors right next to each other during surgery, I told him to take them both off.  I had a mammogram every year and with the dense tissue, they did not see the cancer. I have not missed those things one bit!!!  It really isn't bad, they can put you back together very nicely.  I had grade one, with one microscopic sentinal node.  I took 4xTC and am taking Arimidex.  The choice has to be a personal one, but for me I am so glad I did it!   Take care and good luck.  P.S.  I didn't have any more cancer in either breast, but I would have worried about it.

It has been so interesting reading about your decisions.  I have been second guessing mine.  I am 62 and had a mx on the left side 3 weeks ago.  I had cancer only on the left side, and had mamograms, MRI and sonograms on both to be sure there was nothing "hiding" in the right side.  So the decision was made to only remove the left.  I currently have an expander in the left side and am going to the PS on 1/6 to have the first injection of saline into the expander.  The plan is to have reconstruction and a reduction/lift on the right side.  Then mamograms every year on the right side, I know I will always be nervous about every mamogram and I asked the surgeons about doing a bi-lateral, but was told since it took me 62 years to get cancer on the left side, (and although I have a greater risk of getting cancer on the right side than someone who had never had cancer at all) my chances are small of getting cancer again.  They said if I were in my  30's or 40's they would recommend a bi-lateral, but not at my age.  

 Okay, sounds reasonable I guess, the only other woman in my family who has had breast cancer was my father's sister, but my Dad had bone cancer and lung cancer and my Mom's sister had rectal cancer.  I have had basil cell carcinoma on both legs, but it was removed with no recurrance.  My Mom lived to be 97 and most of her sisters also lived to be in their 90's and one was 102 when she died, so I have a history of longevity in my family so I feel like I have a lot more years left in which I might have to go through this again and that is not something I want to do.

I hope my decision to just have the one removed is the right one.  My PS has a reputation for being a stickler for semetry and is apparently an excellent surgeon.  I sure hope so.  He is going to reduce the size of the right breast and put an implant in it to insure the lift so I hope I never end up with one breast higher than the other.  It is important to me to feel whole again and to feel like I look feminine.  My husband is very supportive and says he is okay with whatever I decide and if I did not have recon he would still be okay with that too.  I am glad he feels that way, but I don't think I could handle not having the reconstruction.  I am supposed to take Tamoxifen too and I hope that will not be a bad decision.   All this is so hard and scary and confusing - thanks to all of you for sharing.

Doing them both on Jan. 28, only left one has cancer. I didn't want to face all of this again later on, and have to deal with radiated tissue.  I also have watched my younger sister- in -law deal with BC for 14 years (now with mets to liver) and I have learned to do all I can now while my chances look real good.