Thinking out loud and wondering.....

I don't exactly fit either of your scenarios.



I went In For partial masectomy(aka lumpectomy).

The doctor took wide margins (wanted a cancer free area around the cancer, aka "margins") and found cancer in that area, and that left me a smaller area of clean margins so she wanted to go back in to take out some more "margin area" and make sure it was clean.



Instead of finding the three tumors seen on MRI they found 6. , granted they are all small, but it disturbed me that they did not all show on MRI.



This got me to thinking, do i really want to go backin for wider margins, and then have to live with the idea that cancer might come back after chemo and radiation? Why didn't the MRI show everything? It bothered me and I decided to have go with a masectomy. (Will be in the fall). I ruled out implants (for me, seems like work to maintain), I ruled out the TRAM flap reconstruction (involves taking core muscle to help build new breast- and I have a bad back, all i hear from doctors is "strengthen your core") and then i read about. DIEP flap on the boards here and it sounds great. No artificial parts, all me, and no use of muscle.



Read the boards and there are so many variations of the questions you ask.

I finally sat down and wrote my pro/cons of lumpectomy vs. masectomy to decide on my second surgery. After I did that I will not second guess my decision, which was important to me. I am 99% sure this is what I want, and lets face it, can't get much closer to 100%!



Btw,I am 47, 3 children..youngest is 10. No family history of cancer. This was my first diagnosis. One of my tumors was considered aggressive. Those are some of the factors that might come into play when making a decision as to treatment.



Hope you find what you are looking for!

Pat

How are you getting on SaraJean?

I had begged for bilateral mastectomy but my surgeon insisted on lumpectomy to see what we were dealing with first.  After lumpectomy, several of the doctors thought rads and the surgery I had was all I needed.  I pressed and pressed and finally they agreed to do the bx mx.

Hi Sarajane,

My diagnosis is very similar to yours.  I just came up on my 3 yr "heard the news" anniversay yesterday and it will be 3yrs from surgery come Novemember (I had chemo before surgery).  Chemo is very doable.  It's not fun by any means, but you can do it.  Oncology nurses are usually the best, so if you have any symptoms that bother you even a little bit, let them know.  They have an aresenal of knowledge to help you get through.  Best of luck!  You will get through this!!!

Igkgde13:  Welcome - yet always wish we could meet under other circumstances.  I am just 1.5 months ahead of you in diagnosis, and consistently feel overwhelmed with the new information I seem to get almost every day.

My  ILC was found just like yours, though a routine exam.

Since dx, I have found a surgeon I trust and connected with.  I did the lumpectomy (actually a quadectomy - they took 25% of my right breast) only to find out we didn't have clear margins, and the pathology report showed more sites than found on the MRI. This past Tuesday I had the right mastectomy.  My nodes are clear and the goal at this point is to hear on Monday that now indeed all my margins are clear. 

Hindsight is always 20/20, and I suspect had I known that there were more sites than we knew about up front, I would have and my BS would have suggested a mastectomy from the start. 

But, we didn't know, and though the choice was offered to me, at the time I truly felt that if all could be removed with a lumpectomy I would have been thrilled.  I also knew up front that if margins were not clear, I would have the mastectomy.  So...yes, I took the chance, knowing that I could always go back for more. I made the best informed decision I could at the time, and I am at peace with where I have been thus far. 

I am 4 days post my right mastectomy and besides the drains that are driving me crazy, I have no other pain or issues.  Both of these surgeres were completely manageable for me.  Lumpectomy I missed only 3 days of work (had it on Wednesday, back to work on Monday); Mastectomy I will miss up to 9 days (had it last Tuesday, and will go back after the drains are removed, which could be as soon as Monday or Tuesday).  We will see. 

On Monday - I will recevie my pathology report again, and maybe drain removal.  Thursday, I will see my oncologist to deal with treatment options - my oncotype dx test will be back by then. 

I wish you peace in your decision making process.  I know how hard it is.  All you can do is make the best decision on the information you have, and then make another one when you get more. I know you will be strong. 

These dicussion boards are a wealth of information from incredible women who have walked this battle before me or are walking it with me.  I encourage you to read their stories and get as much information as you can.  It has been an invaluable resource for me.

Take care, and know I am sending you tons of postive thoughts.

sarajaneevans - congrats on clean margins!  I know how ellusive they can be!  Sending you good thoughts on your next steps.

No, especially in the first few months, your head will be swimming with so much information you will feel like you've had a crash course in med school.  I'm not sure I'm ever out of the woods, but so far so good and these days are sooo much better than in the beginning of this nightmare.