about mastectomy---skin or nipple sparing?

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clarecy
clarecy Member Posts: 31
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)


Just got my MRI-guided biopsy this morning. Two areas with DCIS. They are several cms from each other. So I guess I cannot keep my left breast despite all I could try. Now I wish I could get some mercy from God at the age of 24. I wonder even if my DCIS seems widespread, but since they are at low grade, can I keep my nipple or/and skin while having mastectomy? That will be helpful in reconstruction and of course I will feel a little bit better.


Any similar experience?

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  • ballet12
    ballet12 Member Posts: 981
    edited October 2013


    Hi Clare, I've been thinking of you, wondering how it's been going. So sorry that mastectomy is now inevitable, but the surgeon didn't want you to have radiation, anyway, so I guess this is the route to be taken (given that you also found that the DCIS is multicentric). I would trust MSK's input on whether you can do nipple and/or skin-sparing surgery. With your young age, I'd be concerned, but maybe the MD's feel differently about it.


    Best wishes on this very challenging journey.

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  • mimosa
    mimosa Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2013


    Please doooooooooon't...The cancer can be there too....Try to have a ultrasound of the nipple to make sure that they don't contain DCIS, if they can see through the nipple otherwise don't keep it! Don't take risks!

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  • mimosa
    mimosa Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2013


    Skin and not nipple .....The cancer can go to the nipple....Not often but it can

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  • mimosa
    mimosa Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2013


    I am estrogen receptor positive, had previous results showing I shouldn't have Tamoxifen, a new neurologist did blood test and told me I can have Tamoxifen, my onco says he can't give me Tamoxifen..


    What can I do? Where shall I go? HOw to deal with that ? I am 100% estrogen rec positif

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  • mimosa
    mimosa Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2013


    I am estrogen receptor positive...My onco initially didn't give me Tamoxifen because I understood from some neurological problems that I couldn't take it...The neuro runs blood test and said I could take it but my onco considers that I shouldn't and I am left without Tamoxifen with a100% estrog positive...Any body have a solution for this?

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  • audra67
    audra67 Member Posts: 521
    edited October 2013


    I just had IDC about .7mm in one breast, did bilateral mastectomies with skin and nipple sparing. The tested the nipples in surgery for any cancer which was negative and I have expanders in to keep shape and hold skin stretched to get implants. They say even the BEST surgeons are not able to get every single cell, so potentially you could have another cancer in chest wall or a cell that gets missed but that is like 2% and the nipple sparing is another 2 % chance of getting it there, but signs of that would be draining, discharge, and then they remove the nipple. Find a GOOD surgeon, as all are not equal and some do a ratchet job and then they are hard to reconstruct. I would see a plastic surgeon first and see who they recommend - they usually work as teams and the surgeon does a great job of sparing and cuts in lines and ways that when reconstruction done it looks normal and great!

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  • clarecy
    clarecy Member Posts: 31
    edited October 2013


    well, at least at this stage no UL, or mammogram, or MRI says sth wrong with the nipple. I have done some researches and learned that for stage 0 cancer (e.g. DCIS) it will be acceptable to have skin sparing since technically the breast cancer cell exists in breast tissue, but not skin. As for the nipple, I just wish I am lucky. Will see my surgeon this Thursday. God bless me. I cannot take any bad news at this stage......

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  • ballet12
    ballet12 Member Posts: 981
    edited October 2013


    I would ask the surgeon about skin and nipple-sparing. If your body is producing a lot of multi-centric DCIS at your age, I'd be concerned.. On the other hand, I fought mightily to avoid a mastectomy myself, so I do understand why this is so difficult for you.

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