mastectomy or lumpectomy?

there is a test that will check 70-genes and it is called MammaPrint; it is helpful to determine future risk for distant metastasis. my surgeon did not do that and I wish she did, but would like to suggest it for anyone that did not go through surgery yet. it is better than OncoDx type. good luck

I am still hesitant to do any Radiation due to the new study released from NCI om May, 13,2010, where it indicates that irradiated breast tissue will create abnormal cell phenotype and the affected tissue daughter cells, will become precancerous and might be the cause for future cancers. any advise? stage1, er++Pr++, her-, -ve lymph, low Onco.

What to do Uuuggghhh.  When does it end?  I need support.  HELP, HELP, HELP.

I had a lumpectomy on Wednesday June 30 Th and cancerous lymph nodes removed (auxiliary lymph nodes removal).  I have a Jackson Pratt drain.  My cc's is still over 100 in a 24-hour period (as of today).

My pathology report states that my margins are not clear.  I do not want numerous surgeries (another lumpectomy).  I seen where people had to have the surgery twice after the first lumpectomy and ultimately had to get mastectomy anyway.

 I am 37 this is turning my world upside down.  I am thinking about having a nipple saving masomectomy, if I qualify. Will I need another drain after the surgery?

 I have an appointment on Wednesday to discuss my options, and to go over the pathology report with a fine toothcomb.

I opted for BMX (1 prophylactic) because 1) I was not willing to accept the risk of future surgery following lumpectomy (re excision rate is about 60%!), 2) I wanted to avoid radiation unless it was absolutely necessary (it can cause cancer in time esp lung and can damage your heart) and 3) I knew I could not live with the worry of it recurring or occuring in the other breast and having to go through all this again. 

The other thing that freaked me out about the lumpectomy option was that even CT and MRI scans don't show up things sometimes - so often we hear of other cancers being found post mastectomy which wouldn't have been found if a lumpectomy had been chosen - so it just seems to me to be a safer option in the first place.  When the path report came back for my affected breast there was extensive LCIS outside the tumour and my surgeon said that although he didn't agree with my decision at the time he was glad I had decided to do the mastectomy as the LCIS wasn't seen on the scans and would have been missed by surgery and could possibly have been missed by the radiation too. It would have been sitting there waiting to turn into invasive cancer - ugh.  

Recon is not an easy road, whichever route you take, foobs will never feel like the real thing, I will probably never sleep on my front again and yes, a lot of your chest is numb but I will never forget waking up after surgery and thinking 'it has gone' and the absolute relief that flooded through me - I never have and never will regret my BMX.

Rae

I have just been diagnosed with ductalcarcinoma and lobular carcinoma on my right breast. That was 3 weeks ago. Tomorrow I am having surgery modified radical mastectomy. So scared the lump found was about 4.5 centimeters big. The doctor said he is also removing several of the lymp nodes.