At Stage 3 Should I Worry about Other Breast?

i think you should what ever it takes for "peace of mind"

Kerry is right.

There is no need for you to remove the healthy breast. If its a peace of mind thing...then ok.

I'll be honest, I was seriously thinking of removing my healthy breast too. At the time, I was not emotionally and physically ready for more surgery.So I put it on the back burner. Now, time has past, my mind is clear, I'm not in a chemo or just finished treatment anxiety state......I've changed my mind.

I had a bilat....both surgeons I interviewed suggested it....it was one of my 1st questions to ask, but they suggested it before I ever got to ask the question....its been 4 years and I've never regretted it....the prophy side came back pre-cancerous.....good luck to you in making the right decision for you....hugs.

Barb I could almost have written what you posted myself.

I too had calcifications in my right breast that have been "watched" since 2005.  After the initial - 6 week and 6 month follow ups I went religiously back to  my yearly mammogram of BOTH breasts.

Then last year just before my scheduled mammogram - BAM! I found a lump in the top portion of my left breast - I could actually see it.

The resulting diagnostic Mammogram, U/S and MRI just confirmed it was cancer and the Mastectomy removed it and some nodes - 1 of which tested positive.

I was shocked - how could this happen while I was being vigilant and "watched".

I asked my surgeon - twice - to remove my right breast (so-called good breast) and he refused.  Saying that he did not remove healthy breasts.  I asked my PS to remove my right breast before reconstruction and he refused.

I asked my med onc if I should have it removed and he said "we'll see" and "let's get through chemo and rads first".

I don't know why some doctors do prophylactic mastectomies and others refuse!  My BS was shocked I would even ask this question.  He actually asked me "why" I would want it removed.  I reminded him about the calcifications and he said they were nothing to worry about and now that I'd had BC I would be more closely monitored.  Maybe for him it's not a worry but for me it's always at the back of my mind.

I'm worried because my right breast was not U/S last July when my left one was - I was too shocked to ask them to do it then - and now I'm waiting until the time I can have a mammogram of my right breast to find out what's going on there.

I am a worrier and I need someone to tell me that my right breast is ok.  Even then I don't know if I'd believe them (my left breast seemed ok throughout all the mammograms before).  I honestly don't think that I would have relief or peace of mind until this right breast is gone so I don't have to worry about it.

I'm sorry I didn't answer your question but I wanted to let you know that you are not alone in this.  I'm still a lopsided basket case!

Marie

I had the healthy removed about 18 months after I had the cancerous breast removed.  I was told the chances of developing another primary were increased because of the first primary.  I do believe it's true we have more to worry about with spread of the 1st primary, but, it's a matter of doing everything you can do.  I have never, ever, regretted my choice.  No buyers remorse, at all.

Best of luck,

Gabrielle  

I'm still leaning toward a prophy mx on the "healthy" side when I do reconstruction.  I'm trying to really think it through, though, so I don't have any regrets.  My thoughts:  It grew and spread fast - from undetectable to 2.5 cm and 5 nodes in less than 7 months.  I didn't think it could grow that fast but my PP said she's seen it happen lots of times with HER2+.  So even if I get a mammogram/US every 6 months, it could easily be in my nodes again on the other side before we found it.  I'm BRCA negative, but those are only for the mutations they know about.  There could be other genes they don't know about yet  - one of which might explain why I have BC at 39 with almost no risk factors whatsoever (other than apparently a great-grandmother who had it, but had died of something else, so most of us never knew until it came out with my dx - I'm only the second in our family ever on both sides, as far as everyone knows).  Also, my BS was concerned about the calcifications in my "healthy" breast.  I really dread all of that surgery, I really, really do.  However, I'm a worrier and I think losing the stress of keeping it might well outweigh the benefits of keeping it, for me.  I'd rather lose another breast now, rather than maybe later when I'd have to lose nodes and deal with treatment again.  I have a friend who had cancer in one breast in her late 30's.  She had a mx and treatment.  Twenty years later it showed up in the other breast, but this time she wasn't lucky enough to catch it early and now she's stage IV.  I know the odds of that happening to me are probably pretty small, but small odds didn't matter this first time.  So I'm leaning toward peace of mind.

Kimber and Kerry: You both said exactly what I have been thinking. I am strongly leaning towards prophy mast to prevent another axillary node dissection in the future. I find the ALND has more complications long term than the mastectomy site (strictly speaking physically, not mentally). I think I am willing to loose the boob to protect the nodes on that side.

Blondie45 - Good luck with your appeal tomorrow - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!  According to all I've read and been told, my insurance company automatically covers prophy mx if you're BRCA+ or under age 40 at initial diagnosis, so I'm hoping I don't encounter any problems.