Survey who just got Lumpectomy

I agree with you that the site is somewhat more populated by those who had mastectomies. I'd like to see an area under "Tests, Treatments, and Side Effects" called "Lumpectomies." There's really two for mastectomies -- both the "Breast Reconstruction" and the "Breast Prostheses and Reconstruction Alternatives" are mostly about MXs. So there ought to be "Lumpectomy" area as well. I think I'll request it.

I also had lumpectomy and i am doing Rads right now . I had the option of Lump and Rads then Tamoxifen or mastectomy. I also went with Lumpectomy that is just what I wanted and I am happy with it.Thank you for starting this post eileenr56

I just had a lumpectomy July 19, DCIS stage 0 intermediate grade no comedos, they thought it was 1.3 cm but turned out to be 4cm. I did not get clear margins so I have to have this surgery again.. Praying for good results next time..but I am under insured, my outpatient insurance is maxed out.. I have limited medical plan. Lost the the major medical when I was laid off in 2005 and can only find contract work.. Now I have to pay for a 2nd surgery and trying to find assistance for radiation therapy. I did not qualify for JPS as I make too much money.. Any one know of how to get assistance for just radiation??

Hugs to all

Terri

Becky, what size was your DCIS? and grade?

Terri

Bedford Texas

Terri--I was told my tumor was 2 cm but when they got in it was less than 1 cm.  BS thought they removed some of it during biopsy.  My grade was 3.  I had a Sentinel Node Biopsy and had two nodes removed but developed lymphedema two weeks later.  Becky

I had a lumpectomy/rads for ILC and when IDC was discovered in my other breast a year later, I opted for another one (2 actually - surgeon removed 2 other spots of ADH) and rads again. It seemed the IDC was missed the year before, so I talked my surgeon into a lumpectomy as I want to give the Arimidex a chance to do it's thing. If it had been a new nasty cancer, then I would have probably chosen differently. I have no choice in the future.

I have received a copy of my pathology report and I have Invasive ductal carcinoma, HER2 3+ with lymph node involvement.  I had 2 nodes tested with 2 positive -Metastatic Ductal Carcinoma

Histologic grade Nottingham, grade II, 6-7 points

My surgeon is away for two weeks and I am not able to discuss this with him.  Does anyone know if two weeks will matter while waiting for this aggressive cancer to be removed?  Is this the worst form of breast cancer you can have?  I think I will need to have to have a mastectomy, my second surgery is scheduled for August 12th for the removal of the nodes and a larger area of tissue removed.  I have been trying to cope with this, tried Raiki and they have advised me to take prime rose 6,000 mg and cod liver oil 1,000 mg daily.  I am not sure what else I can do.

My daughter really needs me here.

I am so interested in swalters (sandie's) diagnosis and followup.  This is my first post.  I just had my lumpectomy on September 6.  Initially, my surgeon felt like because of the size of the dcis i would not need radiation, but obviously margins, etc. were other factors that would have to be examined after surgery.  At followup, my path report said "no evidence of atypical hyperplasia or dcis.  Meaning that all of the cancer was removed with my initial biopsy.  GREAT NEWS of course. He confirmed his belief regarding not needing radiation; but evidently the whole team is not in agreement and I guess it was based on my age, which is 47.   I agreed to meet with the rad. onc. but here's my thing.  size was less 0.4 cm (less that 1/2 cm), grade 1, if no cancer was found in the tissue from excision, then in my mind the margins are more than completely clear.  Obviously, the rad onc. will give me his reasoning as to why.  I am pretty set on not having any radiation.  My question is if Sandie (swalter) reads this I was wondering her age and what if any factor that played into the VNPI?

leah0107....I'm curious as to what your rad onco recommends. I had a lumpectomy last Friday for a 4mm DCIS, Grade 3 with comedo necrosis close to the chest wall. The post lump pathology doesn't mention DCIS, just inflammation from the core BX (which was in July) and ADH. I'm assuming all of the DCIS was removed with the core BX or the pathology report was wrong.  Anyway, my surgeon has told me all along I would need radiation despite the small size of the lesion and possibly Tamoxifen. I'm curious if I'll still need rads since nothing was found on the final pathology report. I have a VERY strong family hx of BC. My appt is on Tuesday to discuss the path results. BTW, I am 47 years old as well.

Cycle-path thanks!  I found out she has a website with her story and some good information; very insightful

H i there-I ve been recently diagnosed with breast cancer and had an appointment with my surgeon yesterday. He adisesed that I get a lumpectomy which I am scheduled to have next Thursday -29 September 2011-I have been told I will need radiation and tablets to treat it - not sure if I will be getting chemo yet-yes you're right-there needs to be a balance of all options-I will definitley up date when I get the procedure done.

Lumpectomy and rads. I opted out of taking the Tamoxifen.

I've been dx with bc  three times, and each time only chose a lumpectomy...no rads or tamoxifen. I'm fortunate in that I only had early stage cancers. If I had cancers that were invasive type of agressive then I would have considered a mx. I do not regret my decision. I do have to remember to do my annual mammograms. If I am dx again, I may just bite the dust and get a blmx. No matter what you choose there are risk.

If you check the alternative site and watch the film impositive posted on You've Got to Watch This, you will know why I made the decision I did not to do rads or tamoxifen.

Just to followup from my earlier post.  Met with Rad Onc. on Monday.  Said recurrence rate was about 10% w/o rads.  I can't remember what he said it would be with-dh said it was 2%.  I expressed that I was more fearful of radiation side effects than recurrence of cancer.  He said he thought I was making a good decision.  Regarding pills, he discouraged me saying that it would only reduce my risk by 50% - 50% of 10%.  So didn't schedule an appointment with med. onc.  I am  on a research journey to see what other things I can do proactively and preventively to improve my health - diet, exercise, vitamins, etc.  There's alot.  I have an appointment to a primary care doc. next week.  Want to ask for blood work to cover everything from hormones to vit. def. etc.  Can I do this.  What can and should I ask that he test for? 

Off topic but something I read recently.  Do mammograms emit radiation?  I mean I've probably had more than 20 just this year.

have your vit D levels checked.