Just diagnosed - questions for surgeon

Hi   I'm so sorry for your recent diagnosis.  I'm a newbie myself (diagnosed 7/08/10) ... it's all quite scary, I know; but research will give you the amunition you need!!!  I would definitely ask your Surgeon if he plans on doing a "Sentinel Node Biopsy."  Mine did ... it tested positive, so he also performed an "Axillary Dissection."  Three of the 6 nodes tested positive.  Not the greatest news, but I'd much rather know now than later

As far as your Mom, trust your heart my dear   My Mom is actually 91 yrs old and doing well.  It was several weeks before we decided to tell her tho, cuz it's hard for her to understand something so complicated.  I truly feel your Mom has the right to know, but it's definitely your decision on when the right time is

God's Speed!!!

oaklandish1 - sorry about your dx but welcome- I'm just a bit ahead of you.  I had a Lumpectomy 3 weeks ago.  I still need node surgery - should find out when on Tuesday - when I visit my surgeon again.  I just seen my Radiation Oncologist on Friday and she told me I would need 5 weeks of radiation AFTER chemo.  Chemo is recommended if your invasive tumor is more than 2 cm. almost always.  I have heard of Mamosite (not sure of spelling) Radiation but was not given that option and I have heard some talk of pain a year or so down the road at the site of the affected area.  I don't think I would want to try it for me but that has to be a choice you and your doctor make.  As for your mom I agree she should know as soon as she is well enough.  I did my best to downplay the news at least at the beginning with my regards to telling my kids so not to scare them too bad.  If you let your mom know that it is early stage (1cm) and very treatable it should help.  Also Radiation is only required if you choose to keep the breast.  There is nothing to radiate if you choose mx.  They now say that Lumpectomy plus Radiation is just as effective as mx.  You have to be happy with your own decision, I wanted to save my breast if possible.  Good Luck to you.

Cathy

imatthew:  I hope you get some solid answers to your questions today.  The chemo question may have to wait until node status is established.  And I may be wrong, but I don't think the oncotype test referred to above applies to hormone receptor negative women like your wife. 

Also, radiation is indeed sometimes given to women with mastectomies - for example, if the tumour is against the chest wall, or 4 or more nodes are involved.  It is virtually always done in the case of a lumpectomy.  

We met with ours tonight as well, course of treatment is a unilateral mastectomy & sentinel node biopsy coupled with reconstruction.  

Next up is a cat scan and bone scan just to rule out metastasis (the surgeon doesn't think this is a concern, but she wants to have my wife have the test just in case).  The MRI didn't show anything in her nodes.  We are also scheduling an appointment with the plastic surgeon.  I assume he'll want to do a TRAM flap, we're spending the night reading up on reconstruction options.

We asked about the MammaPrint test, the surgeon thought it would be fine but not entirely necessary.  So far it doesn't look like she'll need radiation.

the reason for unilateral is that she has widespread DCIS (3 regions) in addition to IDC.  As far as staging, i need to update the diagnosis.  Our radiology group told us they thought it was stage 1, .2 CM, but the surgeon told us the .2 CM measurement was the size of the biopsy sample, not the size of the tumor.  We'll know the actual stage after surgery.

oaklandish1, you're the one who knows your mom the best. If she isn't feeling well or is too frail etc, I wouldn't tell her until I knew she could handle it. For a mom, it's the worst thing in the world to hear that her daughter has this terrible disease.

In my case, I didn't tell my mom. She is 89 yrs. old, has dementia and has had breast cancer twice herself. I've gone through all the tests since dx and surgery and she hasn't suspected a thing. She moved into a residence (the day I was diagnosed) and when I couldn't see her for a while, my husband told her that I had the flu and I didn't want to infect anyone. I'm preparing her for the times when I cannot visit since my radiation treatments should be starting soon. I've just told her that I will have to go into the city every day for a course that I'm taking and won't be able to see her as often.

It's been hard not telling her because she would understand what I've been through. My mom is very sensitive and loves me a lot so I want to spare her as much pain as possible.