cancer after breast reduction surgery

This is also exactly how my ILS was found in October, 2009.  Would love to hear your story JKN.

Roseann - What they appear to be saying is that they had breast reduction surgery, and the tissues removed were examined and determined to contain ILC. So it's more that the reduction surgery led to the detection of ILC that was not previously suspected, rather than that the surgery trauma somehow caused the cancer.

Sue - Wow! I'm so sorry that cancer was found in this roundabout way. On the good side (there is one), ILC doesn't often show up on mammograms, and who knows what it would've been doing in there if you hadn't had the reduction that revealed it! Good to have it OUT. MRI is pretty good at finding it, and that's great that it came back clear! Also great that your nodes are clear (I don't get how they can do a sentinel node biopsy after a reduction, though...). Hopefully, they'll send part of your tissues for an Oncotype DX test to determine whether chemotherapy would benefit you. I'm thinking the reduction likely functioned like a "lumpectomy," so you'll probably end up needing radiation, which reduces the chances of recurrence around the area where the cancer was ("lumpectomy" plus radiation gives the same risk of spread and survival rates as a mastectomy).

Keep us posted! Sorry you had to join this "club" no one really wants to join, but there are lots of great women on here who can be very helpful.

I had a friend who had reduction surgery several years ago - I think she said she had over 300 stitches, so I'm thinking that certainly qualifies as a big ol' lumpectomy! 

Coleen

Oh yeah - it was a major shock.  The only other shock I had that big was when they told me I was having twins 30 years ago.  That turned out great, so I'm counting on this having a great outcome too.  I'm not sure how much courage I have, but I do know I will be doing everything I can to see my 30 year old twins and their children grow older.  Just playing the waiting game until I see the onco's next week.  Thanks again for your posts and support!

Paula and I are already good cyber buddies from another thread b/c we have very parallel paths (which we didn't want to take) and she PM'd me about this new thread.  I'm so sorry you all have to go through this. I also feel badly posting this, but my MRI also missed the ILC in the other breast.  I felt so confident all was well that I never even considered anything would be found from the other breast.  I had a previous IDC caught on mammogram like Paula and had mx and recon and had a reduction/lift for symmetry - got a call from the plastic surgeon that pathology had alerted him.  Now I face surgery soon and am starting over - including not knowing if or how many nodes or even how large (remember, neither MRI nor a Mammo in Oct. caught anything).  I will only know the extent after my surgery.  My signature lists only the 2nd one found since I absolutely can't figure out how to get the computer to accept both incidents to explain my story. 

My surgeon says ILC is very difficult to detect and but for my reduction we would not have found it for another 18 months.  The ILCs once found tend to be very large since smaller they are missed by the mammograms.  He says either he or I would have found it on breast self exam, so for the ladies with ILC, it might be really important to be vigilant about your self exams.

On the positive side, My oncologist said he's never had one missed on MRI - I'm the first one - so perhaps that means Paula's and my experience are very rare.  Hugs and prayers to Sue and Paula as you wait for information and treatment and also to everyone else.  Sue, let's hope oncotype is so low you need no chemo, but if you do, please visit the chemo boards - the help there is invaluable.   I'm having surgery this week - I'll try to post next week with more info. 

Coleen,

I struggled with whether to even post that I had a clean MRI and it missed the ILC as I do not want to discourage anyone here.  I also don't want to discourage you b/c I had chemo (taxotere) and was on tamoxifen.  The IDC was early and E+ and not too large (2 cm) and I only had a couple of nodes, but the ILC never showed anywhere, so they really have no idea - I will know more after surgery and will post.  They don't know if the ILC was bigger and the chemo/tamox shrunk it or whether it is not E+ and therefore the tamox. did not help.  I will know more about the receptors by the weekend or next week and will post. 

As I said, my oncologist never had it happen, so I think you should all stay positive but vigilant and hopeful - I think the majority of the time the MRIs are correct.  My breasts are very dense and they think this might have affected the scan.  Take care. 

Hi Colleen & everyone,



Had my surgery this week - finally home from hospital. I had much more pain this time - trying to manage it, but so relieved b/c I had full body scan before surgery which was clean and normal. Also, doctor called today and he took sentinel node and 1st level of axillary (oncologist felt he needed at least first level) and all nodes were clean and node-negative. They did special stains on them b/c the ILC is so hard to detect - apparently even with all the staining it was node negative and they also found almost nothing in the rest of the pathology, so nothing was big - probably microscopic.



Yes - it's E+ and P+ this time and I meet with oncs - my current onc who is great and getting a second opinion from a major medical center onc at end of month. They're sending the oncotype this time to see whether I need the chemo - that's the next hard decision. Hang in there, everyone. Paula - it's probably good your surgery is in Jan. I'm really sore even with On-Q pump - probably b/c the reduction was only 3 weeks ago and my body still feels a little physically traumatized. Hope everyone's doing well. I'll try to check to see how you all are next week.

sjc - I am also waiting on Oncotype and I received a booklet and letter from the company.  I googled and went on their website today and it was helpful and interesting - helped me to understand the scores better in preparation for next week when my doc calls.  The score will determine whether I have a second chemo - this time only choice is A/C.  I'm trying to just prepare myself to face A/C b/c I think it will be easier to just get ready and then if I don't have to have it then it will really be the best Christmas present ever.

This is a second primary for me, so my emotions are very raw right now and tough and bouncing all around - trying to hold it together for kids and others - so glad these boards are here to just be able to vent.  Thanks for listening - my prayers for low oncotype and good holidays for everyone. 

Hi all~

I had breast reduction surgery last April 9th ( I had a mamo right before, all was clear) on April 15th the dr. called with the news that the path report showed ILC. What a shock....totally didn't see this coming.  I decided to have a bilateral mast.  and was happy I did.  When the path report came back it showed some strange things going on in the side they did not find cancer...so I felt good about that.  I had 2 node involved.  I went through  6 rounds of chemo (TC) starting July 9th. I was suppose to start tamoxifin but my dr had a CYP2D6 test run on me and it showed I am a poor metabolizer ...so since I am pre meno I just had a hysterectomy and will be startin arimidex Jan.1.  I am also starting zometa on Dec. 31st.  I did do reconstruction with expander cups when they did the bilateral mass.  so I will be having the exchange surgery on Jan. 12 .  It has been a long journey and I know my husband and I had a lot of decisions to make and I hope we made the right ones.  Is anyone here on arimidex or zometa?  Anything I should know about going into this part of my treatment? 

I am glad I did the reduction or who knows when the cancer would have been found.  I too was just blown away when I got the news of this.....so scary and really didn't think I would ever be able to handle this but I now see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Any info you could give my from your experiences about arimidex or zometa I would really like to hear what you have to say. 

Enjoy your day!

~Balsie~

sjc~

I did have an MRI after the path report came back and they couldn't find anymore of what they thought would be cancer,but found suspicious areas or areas of concern.  With the fact that ILC is hard to find and that it usually is found through an incidental surgery (or so I am told) I made my choice of bilateral mass. It is hard to know if I am doing enough or not enough. I have learned that you have to be your own advocate.....research and make an informed choice.  I have learned a lot on this board, everyone has been so helpful.

My onco. said to me that having chemo is like washing your floor with soap & water...but you have to make sure you rinse it to make sure you get rid of all the soap.  Chemo was no walk in the park but was very doable.  let me know what you decide.

warm wishes for you and everyone

Balsie~

Question -

I'm somewhat on the other side of the equation.  I have DCIS in two quadrants of my right breast (left breast is clean as far as I know) and while mastectomy is standard of care, I'm considering a bilateral reduction/lift as an intentional "lumpectomy" b/c it will give wider margins than a normal lumpectomy (or in my case, double lumpectomies).  

I'm also thinking that sending a chunk of tissue from the "healthy" breast to pathology is probably a good thing.  Not that I won't utterly freak out if I get bad news...

But my bottom line question is - do you still have nipple/breast sensation after the reduction/lift?  My main motivator in not choosing mastectomy is keeping sensation; but if that's gone anyway, maybe mastectomy makes more sense.  I asked my BS today and she thought numbness was quite likely, but she seemed to indicate that it was really a question for the PS.

What do you ladies who have been there, done that, think?

Thanks! 

To answer the question regarding sensation in the nipple, I think everyone will differ.  However it is now 2 months since I had my breast reduction and I do have sensation in both nipples.  I also know a young woman who had a breast reduction in her late teens and has regained full sensation too.

So tomorrow is the big day when I find out my randomization from the TailorX clinical trial - so stay tuned.  I have to admit I am really hoping that it is a no to chemo.  I am just having a hard time thinking about putting that stuff into my body if I really don't have to.  THank you for all your support and encouragement during this decision period.

sjc~

Congratulations...I am happy for you! What will you be taking for the hormone therapy group? It is so nice that you found this out before the New Year. 

Happy New Year!

Balsie~

sjc,  It is so nice that you posted your experience.  We are able to get a first-hand look at the process that is being used in the TailorX trial.  I feel like history is being made and you are now part of it.  As cookiegal said,  "WOW".