Recurrence 7 months after clean lumpectomy

koz, I'm sorry that you and your wife are going through this.  It sounds to me as though there was still cancer left in breast at the original site, despite the clear margins.  That can happen, particularly if the cancer is not a solid mass or if it is multi-focal (i.e. there is more than one location of cancer cells) .  While additional surgery will be necessary to remove the rest of the cancer, if this in fact is part of the original cancer and if it has not spread, then it's very possible that it won't change your wife's prognosis at all. While this is terrible to be going through, in the end what's most important.

Good luck to you and and wife.  Please let us know what the surgeon says.

I'm sorry you both have to deal with any of this at all.    But that being said, then if it's just cropped up, hopefully it's very small and  can be taken care of with just a mastectomy?  If it's that new, hopefully it's just in the breast and not the lymph nodes, which should keep her from needing chemo again.  Especially since her nodes were clean the first time.  Many times they can just be removed without further treatment.  I had a mastectomy earlier this month and I'm 41.  It's not the horrible procedure I thought it would be.  I had it by choice to avoid radiation (even though I knew I might still have to have it if I had 3 or more positive nodes.)  Under my arm is still sore where they took 12 nodes out, but the actual site has healed very nicely.  Something tells me you've both been through the worst already, so hang in there!

Hi, koz ~ I'm so sorry about your wife's recurrance.  Can you possibly share with us her original dx -- size of lesion, hormone (ER, PR) & Her2 stats?  Some types of breast cancer can just be much trickier, which may help to explain what's happened.  The other question I would have is, did she have an MRI prior to surgery, to be sure they knew the full extent of her breast cancer? 

Also, depending on what her breast surgeon recommends, you and she may also want to consider factoring in a second opinion.  And if her surgeon is a general surgeon, then by all means a second opinion from a breast surgeon would be in order.    Deanna

Get a second opinion before making the next decision, preferably from a breast surgeon at an NIH-approved cancer treatment facility. With more information, you may feel you trust your docs' past decisions and understand what went wrong leading to the quick recurrance. Or you may feel that more  thorough testing could have led to more accurate diagnosis and treatment.  In that case, I'd find a new medical team.   

My heart goes out to you and your wife. It would be so daunting to think of starting the tx. process over again so soon and I'd have the same questions you're asking. Best wishes.

KOZ

Well- your news sucks- but you knew that! What I have to say reinforced Bessie and others that this disease is crazy wild and anything can happen--------including good things- now don't dismiss this idea, I am 9 months out from a Bilateral mx- no reconstruction and while it is true I am older than you two  I know by reading your posting that good things, spiritual and otherwise will happen for you.

You are a wonderful person to stick by her, my husband has and we are closer and happier than ever (married 30+ years), Hold each other and pray, and we will too. Miss Kitty