New diagnosis and feel like I'm missing something

You should have lumpectomy and SNB. Also, by my knowledge, once you have invasive you should do adjuvant chemo? Radiation I think it only depends on the lymph node involvement.

Honestly I didn't hear yet of IDC treated with only surgery and rads, no chemo.

Here, you can see benefits of various treatments on this site. You do need to know though if ER/PR/HerNeu positive or negative, as well as grade and lymph nodes involved.

http://cancer.lifemath.net/ 

Are you more worried about disfigurement than about being dead? Sorry for being blunt.

You are probably right. And yes, I forgot that lumpectomy is automatically rads. Maybe because I was so fast in taking the decision to have BMX so I wouldn't worry about recurrences lol

I think you should weigh all of your options before you do surgery.  I would not only meet with a breast surgeon, but a plastic surgeon so you can also evaluate your reconstruction options if you decide to go with a MX.  I had two opinions for surgical oncologists and plastic surgeons before I hd my surgery.   I was glad I did because I wanted a DIEP reconstruction but was not a candidate for anything except implants.  Both PS's said the same thing so I was glad I knew all of that before I decided anything.  I am happy with my decision and just completed my reconstruction on December 9th.  It feels good to finally be done.  Good luck with your decision and treatment.

I was in your boat: having second thoughts about surgery (in my case, because I was concerned about possible risks of radiation.)  I was the one who wanted to have surgery ASAP but I think profbee is right, that  you can probably wait a little bit to make sure you're making the right choice. If you choose to meet with your BS again (and/or get a second or even third opinion) you may want to consider having someone come with you. I never bring people to my doc appointments but I brought my husband to these first ones and I'm glad I did (it made is easier to discuss with him later; he also caught or remembered some comments from my BS that I missed).

Hii Gayle, I'm in NY too. Where did you get your treatment? I had a lumpt. and rads AND 4 rounds of chemo as my score came out to be 25. However, MY thingy was 1.5 cm.

Hi Danielle, I was in the same position as you.  Find someone who will sit down and explain all your options to you.  I originally went to a BS for my biopsy who said lumpectomy, probably radiation and probably no chemo without fully explaining all my options to me.  I felt like she was making the decision without consulting me.   I went for a second opinion to another BS who explained the lumptectomy and its associated treatments/risks as well as a mastectomy and it's associated treatments/risks.  He said it was totally my decision and that the recommendations for chemo or not would come after surgery and the onco type test.  I appreciated his taking the time to explain all my options and then letting me make the decision that was right for me.  I highly recommend getting a second opinion from someone who's willing to answer all your questions. 

Today I went to see the Medical Oncologist.  I really liked him (even after I waited almost 2 hours for him) and he sat and talked with me for a long time.  The downside is he thinks I should have a short chemo stint - 4 treatments - 3 weeks apart.  My Oncotype was a 20 and my surgeon had said he didn't think chemo would be necessary unless my score was over 30.  The MO obviously disagrees with this and because I had interoperative radiation the rest of the radiation probably can't wait for the chemo to be done so I would be doing things a bit backwards.  The MO is going to call the other doctors and he promised to call me back by Friday with what everyone decides would be best.  Not having to start the chemo right away actually will give me time to get a second opinion on that. 

Danielle, I had the same problem. The first surgeon was not receptive to my ideas about what to do. He would not even consider a BMX (I "only" had cancer in one breast, but wanted both removed). When I pressed, he wanted me to meet with a plastic surgeon to reassure me about how a UMX with reconstruction would look. He had not done a biopsy and had not thought to consult an onc. That is when I "fired" him and went elsewhere. My concern was not exactly about looks.

The surgeon I ended up with listened to my concerns, laid out the options and the pros and cons of each, and ultimately, after scanning me up and down and doing a biopsy, supported the BMX decision fully. He also had me do chemo prior to surgery, whereas the first guy was planning to operate right away.

I was diagnosed recently- cried and cried for 2 weeks. recovering from lumpectomy and lymphnode removal and waiting for oncotype to come back to start treatmnt. how soon did u start treatment?

I am so scared, I need to talk. please

Bela, hon, it's okay.  You're at an early stage, and your cancer is ER/PR positive which means there are great drugs they can give you to treat it if they need to.  But it's not in your nodes and you have DCIS--which is the BEST case scenario (besides totally benign of course).  Hang in there. When will you get your results?  

BelaT, My oncotype score was 24. Don't you just love the way they leave the decision up to us? Good luck it is such a hard decision to make.

Ah.  Well, I didn't have an oncotype done (I'm HER2+, so they said not to bother because it would be high).  I just turned 40, and I just felt that I wanted to do everything I could to make sure this was the only time I"m doing this.  (If I recur, it won't be because I wasn't aggressive...not that it couldn't happen, but I'm trying to lessen my chances with every choice.)  So, I chose a BMX and we did chemo.  (Again, with my age and the HER2+ there wasn't much of a choice here).  

Chemo really wasn't all that awful.  I mean, it's no picnic, and being bald sucks, but they have meds now for the nausea, so it's not quite the daytime tv special it used to be.   It is such a whirlwind at the beginning, but you have time to get second opinions and feel informed and make your own decision.  

Did you ask for some meds for anxiety?  That was when I really needed it.  My gyno first suggested it when I got my diagnosis.  She said I needed to get my sleep because I was going to have to make a bunch of decisions.  Boy, was she right.  My mind was spinning and I couldn't think without spinning out to a million possibilities and the medication helped stop that panic.  

We're here for you, Bela.   

Thanks , Kira. I understand what you are saying. What side effects did u get? I am anemic and also allergic to antibiotics.Are doing well?

My situation is unusual I had internal radiation right after surgery, and the Onc. I had at the time rushed me into chemo before I had healed from the radiation. I got a very bad infection along with radaiton burns caused by the chemo. It took 6 months before they got the infection under control. By then I was past the window for chemo.

It has been 16 months now, and I am feeling much better. My situation went before the board of the hospital and changes are in place so what happened to me will hopefully never happen again.

If you have alergies and are allegic to antibiotics be sure you Onc is aware if it. I would aso suggest you talk to at least 2 Oncs. I have learned if I had 2 out of 3 would not have suggested chemo for me. Just remember I'm 57.