Close margins question?

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MamaM
MamaM Member Posts: 80
edited January 2015 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

My distance from the closest margin was 4 mm. (It says closest uninvolved margin- anterior) My BS is telling me that I do not need rads. This just seems too close???? Or is this normal with a masectomy & ILC? I had extensive LCIS too.

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  • Professor50
    Professor50 Member Posts: 220
    edited January 2015

    My understanding is that with a mastectomy there is no need for rads. (My choice was between lx+ rads or mx with no rads).

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited January 2015

    MammaD, there's some controversy regarding what constitutes a "safe" margin, but 4mm is defintely on the high side of safe. From experience, my onc did not think I needed rads with a mx. However, I talked to 4 different rad oncs, and they all felt I absolutely did, even with an mx -- partly because of a positive node with extracapsular extension, and also due to an unspecified margin on a bit of uninked tissue my BS trimmed that surprised us all by hiding a 1 mm lesion.

    Each situation is individual. If I was in your situation, I would consult with one or more rad oncs, until you're comfortable deciding either way. It's not up to a BS to make that kind of judgment call. (((Hugs))) Deanna

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  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited January 2015

    MamaD - there's an article on the main portion of this site discussing latest guidelines for margins; from what I recall of that, you're fine. Take a look at it and see.

    However, it doesn't hurt to talk with a couple of ROs and then maybe a neutral 3rd party if you're still uncertain.

    It's one tough decision after another, isn't it??

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