Looking for guidance and input please

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Lorrilynne
Lorrilynne Member Posts: 23
edited August 2014 in Breast Reconstruction

Hi ladies - Hope you all had a nice weekend! As I'm facing my second lumpectomy I've been thinking a lot about whether I should be discussing doing mastectomies and just being done with this!?

It seems I read somewhere that if I have radiation now that should I have a recurrence later that doing reconstruction then could be difficult or that you can have problems. Or something to that effect? Is this true or are there things I should be considering? I would sure appreciate your input!

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  • PoppyK
    PoppyK Member Posts: 1,805
    edited August 2014

    Hi Lorrilynne,

    My PS told me that radiation would leave the tissue difficult to work with if additional surgery was needed. In most cases after radiation, he recommends mastectomy.

    Mastectomy is a major operation. I encourage you to talk to your BS and PS.

    I wish you the best as you explore your options and make the choice that is best for you.

    Poppy

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited August 2014

    Radiated skin doesn't stretch well, so many plastic surgeons will only do flap surgery for a mastectomy after radiation.  If you are doing expander to implant surgery after radiation some plastic surgeons will fill and fully expand, overexpand, then do the radiation, and some just won't attempt it at all.  This means filling pretty rapidly to meet the time frames and your rad onc has to be on board with the plan.  If you have a lumpectomy now, have radiation, then have a recurrence that dictates a mastectomy you may run into some limitations with future reconstruction.  Some people choose the mastectomy initially if it means that radiation can be avoided.

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